Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has released a list of hospitality companies that will be exhibiting at AIME 2022.
The line-up includes luxury resorts and hotels from Marriott International, Langham Hotels & Resorts, Crown Hotel & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, TFE Hotels, Minor Hotels and IHG Hotels & Resorts. All will come armed with new announcements and properties to be revealed on the showfloor.
Pan Pacific Melbourne
Furthermore, as official partners, the eight hotel groups will also accommodate domestic and international hosted buyers during the show, with exclusive previews into their latest offerings.
Looking to use AIME as the event to reconnect with the industry, Cinn Tan, chief sales & marketing officer of the Pan Pacific Hotels Group, is excited to supercharge business as the hotel group looks to launch 15 new properties by 2024.
“We’ve been confidently expanding our pipeline, with 15 new properties across 12 cities by 2024. This includes our recent addition of PARKROYAL Monash Melbourne, which opened in April 2021 within the M-City complex.
“We’re thrilled to be a partner of AIME 2022 and look forward to reconnecting with you all, as well as relaunching our face-to-face and hybrid meeting products.”
Delegates attending AIME in-person and online will hear first-hand about new venues and destinations, as well as corporate packages for events and work travel.
AIME’s event director Silke Calder noted: “With four months to go, the countdown is well and truly on for AIME 2022, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with our line-up of hotel partners to date. It’s an exciting taste of what’s to come, and we can’t wait to announce more outstanding hotels and venues that will be showcasing next year.
“There are so many opportunities waiting to be discovered at AIME, with a strong sense of reunification for our community. As more borders begin to open, including our APAC neighbours such as Japan and Korea, we know that business and leisure will evolve into something truly special. We are confident delegates will be blown away with what’s in store for them.”
Next year’s AIME will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from March 21–23 in-person and March 28 to April 1 online.
The challenge for event managers is the complexity of a dual affair. One event, two experiences – and they need to be consistent. What’s offered online must be replicated offline as closely as possible.
The past couple of years has forced event managers to rethink how they host global conferences, seminars, workshops, and other meetings.
Safety remains the biggest obstacle to hosting live events, meaning event managers find themselves needing an alternative.
At peak disruption, digital events provided a natural and cost-effective solution, allowing event managers to continue while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
But as lockdown restrictions ease across the globe, more and more event managers (two-thirds, according to research) are adopting hybrid event formats, increasing their onsite presence while taking advantage of online solutions.
The challenge for event managers is the complexity of holding one event with two different experiences
Why hybrid events? Compared to traditional onsite setups, hybrid events are fundamentally more accessible and offer the “best of both worlds”. The online component of hybrid events means that they can be expanded infinitely, allowing event managers to reach previously unreachable audiences.
New audiences speaking different languages can also easily be catered for by bringing in interpreters – both of whom can work remotely as your event is online and there’s no need to pay for visa permits or aeroplane tickets when you can log on online.
Of course, hybrid events can be challenging, from logistical planning, creating new value for exhibitors and sponsors, and catering to different timezones. But the real challenge will be to flip the mindset of whom you’re catering to, as having an onsite event with online access offered as a bolt-on may leave remote participants disappointed.
The key to solving this challenge is to create one event, but two experiences. Here are five tips on how to do exactly that.
1. Cater to both audiences Understanding your audience will help to filter down an extensive list of hybrid event needs, starting with how it’s hosted. Only when you know what your attendees need can you choose the right technology, such as video conference or event management platforms, and define the experience.
Focus on the needs of both of your diverse audiences equally. While one may be tempted to focus on onsite participants slightly more, as they will probably have higher costs associated with participation (travel, visa, tickets, etc.), remote audiences may exceed onsite participation by high numbers.
2. Offline and online hosts To make it easier for your audiences to interact and engage with you and other attendees, have representatives for both the onsite and online experience. These representatives can cater to your guests, providing them with event information and content, as well as direct them to what they are looking for.
Online representatives are especially important, as they can help attendees with any technical issues or problems they may be having, as well as share useful content and help them to connect with other online attendees.
3. Technical support What happens if a microphone fails or connectivity issues appear? For every possible “problem” you need available support, more so than you would with just an offline or online event. What’s more, both online and onsite teams need to have good communication. In the case of Interprefy, we can use our network of onsite AV partners. You can also choose to collaborate with partners the client has.
Ideally, for your hybrid events, you should have technical personnel and partners monitoring closely to remedy any issues – you should also reassure attendees (both online and offline) that normal service will resume relatively soon.
If your online event management solution fails, it’s always worth having a backup option that can be rapidly deployed.
4. The venue No two venues are the same; many will have their own capabilities as standard. Some will be better suited for events than others – i.e. podiums and surround sound already set up – so you’ll have to carefully assess each option to see what’s appropriate for your hybrid event.
Bandwidth capabilities are essential, as you’ll be catering to online audiences and need high-quality video and audio streams. Similarly, the aesthetic of the venue will matter for both those onsite and online, so make sure to choose somewhere that looks good and embodies the “theme” of your event.
As well as finding the right venue, work together with the venue operators to create the “ideal” onsite architecture. You should also try to make it as “safe” as possible, especially in line with social distancing guidelines to reassure attendees.
5. Speak their language As a hybrid event is infinitely more accessible, you should expect people from around the world to attend. With this in mind, you need to ensure that you have translators and interpreters who can accommodate the most “common” language needs. The easiest way to find this information out is to look at your attendee data – what languages do most people speak? Based on that information, find translators and interpreting partners to suit.
Real-time interpretation can ensure a seamless experience for both onsite and online audiences, allowing them to listen to content live while having it interpreted. Solutions like this make it easy for events to be delivered to multinational audiences at scale, while interpreters can work from anywhere at any time.
Hybrid events are here to stay As event managers and attendees continue to realise the benefits of being able to choose how they host and attend events respectively, hybrid events will continue to attract audiences around the globe, both online and offline.
The challenge for event managers is the complexity of a dual affair. One event, two experiences – and they need to be consistent. What’s offered online must be replicated offline as closely as possible. Event managers need to pay close attention to how their events are engaged with by both audiences and use that information to continuously improve what they do.
Four Points by Sheraton has opened the Four Points by Sheraton Desaru, in the heart of Desaru, a popular resort town in Malaysia.
With 12,000m2 of flexible indoor meeting space, the property is an ideal venue for corporate meetings and gala dinners. The pillarless Wave Grand Ballroom can accommodate up to 400 guests, while the Breeze Junior Ballroom with an abundance of natural daylight can comfortably seat up to 300 guests. For more intimate events, the poolside venue can host up to 150 guests.
Family Room
Four Points by Sheraton Desaru features 311 spacious rooms, all of which offer complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, an ergonomic workspace, private balconies and the brand’s signature Four Points by Sheraton Comfort Bed. Business travellers with their young ones in tow can make use of the Family Room featuring a play tent and personalised kid’s welcome amenities.
Facilities include an all-day dining space called The Mesh, an outdoor swimming pool, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, and a children’s playground. Other attractions in the area include the Desaru Coast Adventure Water Park, and The ELS Golf Club, all located within a 10-minute drive.
Marriott Hotels has opened the Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands, part of the retail, leisure, and entertainment precinct, The District Docklands on Waterfront Way.
For networking events and gala dinners, the five-star property offers 372m2 across three event spaces, where the largest available room is the 245m2 Promenade, good for 120 pax banquet-style.
Rooftop pool
Bleisure guests will also be able to make use of the first M Club executive lounge in Australia, designed to emulate a residential-style living room. It is open 24 hours, and is open to Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite Marriott Bonvoy members and guests who stay on executive floors, offering complimentary breakfast, all-day refreshments, and evening cocktails. The adjoining outdoor terrace offers an al fresco space for guests to take a breather if needed.
Meanwhile, all of the property’s 189 rooms all come decked out with regular mod-cons such as a 55-inch LCD TV, a walk-in-shower, work surface, and a curated ‘Made in Melbourne’ bar fridge.
Recreational facilities include a gym, as well as a heated rooftop infinity pool that is open all year-round and offers panoramic views across Melbourne’s CBD skyline, Bolte Bridge, Port Phillip Bay, and Hobsons Bay.
Aside from the bar – named Sunset House – adjoining the infinity pool, other F&B options include Archer’s, a restaurant serving Australian cuisine with fresh produce from local farms; Ada’s, the hotel lobby bar; Corsia, a laneway-inspired cafe with a European-inspired menu of light meals.
Travellers entering Singapore will have to abide by tightened measures for the next four weeks at least
Travellers entering Singapore will face stricter rules from 23.59 on December 2 as the city-state attempts to buffer against the spread of the new Omicron variant.
The Straits Times reported that while no Omicron cases have been detected locally, the Ministry of Health said the pre-emptive measures are needed for Singapore to assess the implications of the new variant. Such measures will also help to reduce the risk of importation of the virus.
Travellers entering Singapore will have to abide by tightened measures for the next four weeks at least
Under the new requirements, air travellers arriving on the quarantine-free Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme must undergo supervised, self-administered antigen rapid tests at a Quick Test Centre on days three and seven of their arrival.
Previously, such travellers would only need to take a Covid-19 swab test prior to their departure for Singapore, and upon arrival.
All air travellers entering, transferring or transiting through Singapore must also have tested negative in a pre-departure test within two days of leaving for Singapore.
Third, all travellers must take a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on arrival. This will affect non-VTL travellers entering Singapore who are not from Hong Kong, Macau, China and Taiwan.
These tightened restrictions will be in place for four weeks, and are subjected to review and possible extension.
This announcement follows on the heels of the government’s decision to indefinitely postpone planned VTLs for Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Australians vaccinated against covid19 at melbourne convention centre
Australia has halted border reopening plans to international students and skilled workers, sparked by concerns over the new Omicron variant.
Initially slated to reopen on December 1, the date has been delayed at least two weeks.
Australians lining up to get vaccinated against Covid-19 at Melbourne Convention Centre
Australia’s borders have been closed to most non-citizens for more than 20 months, with the exception of fully vaccinated Australian citizens, permanent residents and immediate family, as well as fully vaccinated green lane travellers from New Zealand and Singapore.
The reopening to travellers from Japan and the South Korea will also be paused until December 15. The plan was to open borders to visitors from these two countries on December 1.
Australian prime minister Scott Morrison indicated that the temporary pause will allow the country to gather the necessary information to better understand the variant, the efficacy of the vaccine, the range of illness, and the level of transmission.
Australia has so far, detected five cases of the Omicron variant.
Elsewhere in Asia Pacific, Japan has also temporarily suspended entry for all foreign visitors for at least a month.
Japan National Tourism Organization has released a list of 42 ideas for incentives. As the purpose of incentive travel is important in the post-Covid era, the ideas were compiled and published as a collection for organizers promoting qualified incentives. The programmes are not just incentive trips but special, meaningful and fun activities offering a positive impact on the mindfulness, health, teamwork and spiritual well-being of all participants. They have already been well received on the new website that hosts their details.
Highlights include a thoughtful stay in Nara, Zazen meditation in Shiga, a green tea experience in Shizuoka, a running programme around the Imperial Palace, and a hiking and culinary activity in Mie. They are easily accessible, being only a couple of hours’ travel from both Osaka and Tokyo.
Meditate at JW Marriott Hotel Nara
In Nara, 60 to 100 pax can take part in mindfulness exercises while enjoying a luxurious two-night stay at Japan’s first JW Marriott. This programme includes a gala dinner in a unique location normally closed to the public: the private quarters of the head priest of Hasedera, a temple dating from the eighth century with vast scenic grounds unchanged for more than 1,000 years. How about considering this programme as an exclusive incentive event for outstanding achievers?
Hieizan Enryakuji Temple in Shiga offers zazen sessions in candlelight
Near Kyoto, in Shiga Prefecture’s Hieizan Enryakuji Temple, monks lead participants in writing a wish on a traditional Japanese candle and watching the flame flicker as part of a Zazen meditation thought to relieve anxiety and stress while improving concentration. The session, which is ideal as part of management training for executive candidates, lasts 90 minutes and is suitable for one to 30 participants.
Mt. Fuji rises majestically in the background, as viewed from Shizuoka’s Suruga, where tea harvests are plentiful
The green tea experience in Shizuoka blends historic Japan and relaxation. The open-air tea room at Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, a renowned national treasure, offers a traditional meal arranged in modern style, with green tea pairings presented by a local tea master. Up to 20 guests can enjoy the various culinary delights while overlooking Mount Fuji, Suruga Bay and tea fields.
Get physically fit in Tokyo, under the guidance of a professional coach from ASICS
For groups preferring something more physical, a professional coach from ASICS, Japan’s leading sportswear manufacturer, can help participants refresh body and mind in a running programme. The route circles Kokyo Gaien National Gardens, a well-loved sanctuary for runners in the heart of Tokyo. The 5km lap offers views of the Imperial Palace, the bustling Marunouchi business district, and Tokyo Station’s historic red-brick façade. Bespoke group T-shirts can be created two months in advance.
Trace the footsteps of Buddhist apprentice monks around the forests of Shirataki Daimyojin in Mie
In yet another outstanding experience, groups of two to 30 can traverse the same paths that Buddhist apprentice monks take in the forests around Shirataki Daimyojin in Mie, where the mountain is enshrined as a deity. Guides introduce aspects of Eastern dietary medicine, such as pickled food, and instruct participants on cooking rice using old, traditional ways during this four-hour programme.
Each of the 42 programmes is designed to offer inspiration to business groups by providing insights into the country’s unique lifestyle. Japan’s additional core strengths as an events host are its knowledge and resources, smooth operations, as well as clean and safe cities. In addition to these strengths, Japan has been preparing a programme suitable for post-Covid while travel has been suspended.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Japan’s business events industry has adapted swiftly, offering cutting-edge approaches to online events, and stringent countermeasures against the spread of infections at hotels, conference centres and other facilities.
Now, as the world contemplates recovery, business event specialists in Japan are poised to welcome guests back with events that spark off exciting business opportunities.
New ideas begin in Japan: a country that has been improving its incentive offerings in response to the pandemic. Even if you have already attended an incentive trip here, many more special experiences await you.
To find out how you can create inspiring and meaningful delegate experiences in the destination, visit www.japanmeetings.org.
Event brief
MICECONnect is a spin-off of MICECON (Philippine MICE Conference), a platform for buyers and sellers to generate business events. Both events are organised by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, and are held every alternate year.
Although small in size, MICECOnect 2021 was held for the first time in Boracay. The event was seen as an important B2B event as it helped to position Philippines’ plum island resort as a premier and fun-filled leisure and business events destination.
To pull off the successful event, TPB worked closely with the Department of Tourism in Western Visayas, the Malay local government unit, and the Boracay MICE Alliance.
Event highlights
Boracay MICE Alliance’s director, Jobert Peñaflorida, said emotions ran high as MICECONnect 2021 provided hope and inspiration to the island which was closed during the lockdown and before that, during its rehabilitation.
MICECONnect 2021 also proved that Boracay is ready for business events, and continues to expand its hardware as it awaits for borders to reopen. The island is also confident in its capability to host small- and medium-sized business events, shared Peñaflorida.
The hybrid event brought together 52 online sellers and 48 pre-selected business events planners and organisers, of which 23 were onsite in Boracay.
Apart from a full day of B2B meetings, buyers were brought around the island to inspect hotels, resorts, and related business events facilities. They were also treated to several leisure experiences that can be incorporated into business events itineraries.
Experiences included a visit to the Motag Living Museum and a boodle (traditional Filipino finger-food feast) lunch at Nabaoy River; Boracay’s famed beaches; learning about the Ati Atihan Festival; and a fire-dancing performance. Delegates also tried their hand at making traditional crafts, and exploring the partaking in various culinary traditions.
Buyers also hobnobbed with officers of the newly minted Boracay MICE Alliance, which comprises tourism stakeholders working together to bring business events to the island.
As for proof that Boracay has what it takes to be a business events destination, TPB’s chief operating officer Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones revealed: “Two events were contracted, generating an estimated 27 million pesos (US$533,280) in revenue, and participants are following up on leads for nine MICE events slated for December 2021 and 2022.”
The key takeaway from MICECONnect 2021, Allones and Peñaflorida stated, is that everything is interconnected. For instance, the recovery of the business events industry in Boracay will also spill over to other Philippines destinations.
Challenges
The most important challenge was dealing with health protocols, and sure measures to keep delegates safe and sound throughout their stay.
MICECONnect delegates were given a special group lane at the Caticlan Airport and at the ferry to fast track travel and related documentation, while adhering to required health and safety requirements including physical distancing.
Onsite participants were provided with antigen tests and health and safety kits.
Event MICECONnect 2021 Organizer Tourism Promotions Board Philippines Venue Boracay Date November 13-15, 2021 Attendance 52 online MICE sellers, and 48 registered buyers of which 23 were onsite
Japan has reinstated border controls as a precaution against the new Omicron Covid variant; a street in Tokyo pictured
Japan announced today (November 29) that it will be suspending entry for all foreign visitors due to the emergence of Omicron, a new Covid variant.
The measure will take effect Tuesday and last for about one month.
Japan has reinstated border controls as a precaution against the new Omicron Covid variant; a street in Tokyo pictured
With this, Japan will restore border controls that were eased on November 8 for short-term business visitors, foreign students and workers.
Previously, short-term business travellers to Japan need to undergo only three days of quarantine on arrival if they met certain criteria.
According to Kyodo News, prime minister Fumio Kishida said Monday that closing the border is a “temporary measure until information about the Omicron variant becomes clear,” adding that “when dealing with an unknown risk, it’s best to take every precaution”.
Japan is the second country after Israel to bar all entry to foreigners, while most countries around the world are scrambling to control flights and travellers hailing from several African countries.
It is currently unclear if the new variant is more contagious than the others that have been identified.
In a Reuters report, a South African doctor who was one of the first to suspect a different coronavirus strain among patients said last week that symptoms of the Omicron variant in patients have so far been mild.
Travellers from Singapore who arrived on the first VTL flights were warmly welcomed
The recent return of visitors to Australia from Singapore has given the business events community a huge boost, prompting new business leads and ending the drought of inbound travellers since the pandemic began.
Sydney and Melbourne opened their borders to fully vaccinated Singaporeans on November 21, greeting arrivals at the airport with live music, ‘welcome back’ messages and gifts.
Travellers from Singapore who arrived on the first VTL flights were warmly welcomed
The reopening has been seen as a critical move to restart international meetings in Australia, which is estimated to have lost A$35 billion (US$25 billion) in event cancellations last year and more than 92,000 jobs.
“It’s an incredibly positive and crucial step towards the recovery of Australia’s business events industry,” said Tourism Australia’s executive general manager of commercial & business events Australia, Robin Mack.
“For business events planners in Singapore, the reopening of our border provides the opportunity and confidence to book Australia for their next business event, while also signalling to our other key international markets that Australia is getting ready to reopen to the world.”
“Since the announcement of travel reopening with Singapore, we have received business leads from the region, highlighting that Australia is still seen as highly desirable with exceptional destinations, world-class venues and unique experiences. According to in-market intelligence, we expect enquiries to increase as planners’ confidence continues to rise,” he continued.
Mack said the border reopening begins a shift in focus, from keeping Australia top-of-mind with customers, to converting incoming leads and capitalising on short- to mid-term business. Tourism Australia will run a targeted PR and marketing drive highlighting Australia’s readiness to welcome back business events, as well as fam programmes “when the time is right”.
“Encouragingly, we are seeing business leads from Singapore for late 2022 and beyond from sectors including insurance and direct selling industries and a trend towards smaller corporate meetings and incentives,” said Mack.
“Our recent international research also supports this, with 80 per cent of incentive decision-makers from Singapore indicating they are likely to visit Australia in the next two years – rising to 88 per cent in the next three years,” he continued.
Australia’s border opening to Singapore has also been welcomed by event planners, who can now forecast meetings with more certainty.
“(It’s) an exciting step for Australian business events,” said Nicole Walker, managing director of Arinex. “We are assessing ways we can maximise any opportunities with Singapore and I will be meeting with clients and representatives from (there), as well as across the Asian region at IBTM World this week.”
“We are also actively approaching new inbound groups through our representation partner Body and Soul, who are tapped into the Singaporean market and will identify prospects on our behalf,” she continued.
Australia welcomed 74,000 business events visitors from Singapore in the year ending December 2019, who spent a total of A$270 million. Australia will also welcome fully vaccinated citizens from Japan and South Korea from December 1.
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
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
