UFI opens registrations for Global Congress 2022
Registrations are now open for the 89th UFI Global Congress 2022, set for Muscat, Oman from November 14 to 17, 2022.
Hosted by Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC), this year’s event is the first UFI Global Congress in a decade to take place in the Middle East.
Offering unique content and keynote speakers from inside and outside the sector, the congress will look at the future of the industry. Alongside networking opportunities, attendees will have the chance to exchange lessons learnt, and gain new insights and ideas.
Open to more than 50,000 industry professionals who work for UFI member companies globally, the UFI Global Congress is known as the exhibition industry’s largest global meeting of the year, combining international networking with experts’ content.
Members of ICCA, AIPC, and SISO are also eligible to attend.
Routes Asia 2022 flies to Danang
Danang, Vietnam will host Routes Asia 2022 from June 6 to 8.
The three-day conference will bring together representatives from the world’s aviation industry to the destination, and see thought-leaders address key air service development issues driving change within the industry, and explore the future of route development across Asia-Pacific.
This year’s conference programme will feature CEO keynote interviews, panel discussions, exclusive airline briefings and an industry-leading masterclass to provide unmatched knowledge and insight to the region’s aviation community.
AC Hotels by Marriott debuts in South Korea
Marriott International has opened the AC Hotel by Marriott Seoul Gangnam, marking the brand’s debut in South Korea.
The hotel offers 218m2 of flexible function space, accommodating up to 130 people. Fully equipped with advanced audio-visual capabilities, video meetings and live streaming services, and a large LED media wall, the space is also lit by natural sunlight.
Meanwhile, the rooftop terrace offers an outdoor alternative for intimate gatherings and cocktail sessions.
Business travellers and event attendees can stay in one of the 274 guestrooms, while VIP guests can be put up at one of the four Premier Pool Rooms or Premier Pool Suite. These rooms feature private swimming pools and sunbeds on their terraces, with premium amenities such as Bluetooth speakers, Nespresso coffee machines, air purifiers and Korres toiletries.
F&B options include Spanish-inspired AC Kitchen, an all-day dining restaurant that serves daily buffets with local and international favourites; rooftop bar Kloud for crafted cocktails overlooking the city; and the signature AC Lounge for coffee and tea.
Other amenities include a gym and sauna, as well as an indoor playground and educational programmes for business travellers with their young ones in tow.
MICE stakeholders applaud Malaysia’s further easing of pandemic restrictions
Business events industry players in Malaysia have praised the government’s recent decision to further relax Covid-19 restrictions in Malaysia effective May 1, as this will help put the country in a better position to compete for international business events.
Since May 1, Covid-19 insurance is no longer a requirement to enter Malaysia, and fully-vaccinated travellers aged 13 and above no longer have to undergo Covid-19 tests before and after arrival. Business events activities will also no longer enforce physical distancing, and all economic sectors in the country are allowed to open.
Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) CEO, Abdul Khani Daud, called this announcement “fantastic news”, as this move will “benefit MICE travellers” by providing a “seamless travel experience to Malaysia”.
A Aruldass, managing director of Tourland Travel, told TTGmice: “This news is very encouraging and timely as Thailand and Singapore has also made it easier for MICE groups to enter. This announcement will put us on par with neighbouring countries.
“We have many enquiries coming from India to hold business events here. This month, we have a group of 220 people from India on an incentive trip to Kuala Lumpur, Genting and Port Dickson.”
S Jayakumar, director, Dayangti Transport & Tours, shared that the easing of restrictions coupled with the affordability of the destination, and ease of getting around, has made it easier to market the destination to corporates overseas.
AIME 2022 generates A$120 million in business events
The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has released new insights on the success of the show, recently held in Melbourne (March 21–23), and online (March 28 to April 1).
New industry research has revealed that buyers placed/expect to place A$120 million in business as a result of their attendance at AIME 2022, a 20 per cent increase on 2020 pre-Covid.
Ninety-five per cent of exhibitors cited AIME 2022 as an important event for their business, with over 94 per cent stating they were impressed with their return on investment. Furthermore, 95 per cent of delegates agree AIME is the place to make important business connections, namely due to its great atmosphere (83%) and strong reputation (81%).
AIME event director, Silke Calder, celebrated the show’s success: “This year AIME defied all expectations. We’ve received incredible feedback from exhibitors and buyers from all over the world, many of whom have revived their business activities as a result of attending AIME.
“It was most rewarding to see the industry back in its natural element – networking and building relationships face-to-face – these are the things that build success and enrich us on a personal level.”
Melbourne Convention Bureau’s CEO Julia Swanson said: “It’s been two years since we’ve hosted an event of AIME’s calibre in the city, and with the support of the Victorian State Government, this event was the first real opportunity to show the world that Melbourne is back in action and ready for business.”
Across the three-day event, there were over 1,660 visitor buyers and suppliers in attendance, and the show also included over 230 exhibitors, and a further 320 hosted buyers present.
Ninety-eight per cent of exhibitors who showcased at this year’s event have expressed interest to attend AIME 2023. Celebrating 30 years, AIME 2023 will be held at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre on February 13-15, 2023.
Japan may welcome leisure travellers this month
Japan’s restrictive stance against leisure travellers may ease as early as this month, as the government voiced plans to welcome a limited number of group tours from overseas by end-May on a trial basis.
The decision will hinge on the state of Covid-19 infections following the peak Golden Week domestic travel season, which ran from April 29 to May 5.
The news is a ray of hope for travel and tourism providers who have been feeling the pain of lost revenue from international arrivals, which numbered a record high of 31.9 million in 2019, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
Under the government’s new plan, all tourist arrivals will be part of package tours with fixed itineraries that must be submitted so their movements can be tracked and contact tracing can be carried out if required.
Visitors will also have to meet certain criteria, including proof of three Japan-recognised Covid-19 vaccination shots, thereby effectively keeping some countries with other vaccination programmes locked out.
However, tourism players are concerned if the reopening would benefit all of Japan since demand and supply for tours remain highest in well-known destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima.
Speaking in London on May 5, Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida said the relaxation of Japan’s border controls would be reviewed and carried out “in stages” alongside consultation with public health experts, with further easing in June. The goal is international arrival protocols on a par with other G7 nations, he said.
Should Covid-19 cases in Japan remain manageable, the government plans to raise the cap on the number foreign arrivals, currently 10,000 people per day, in the coming months to accommodate more international tourists.
MCB unveils new interactive video tool for MICE professionals
Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) has launched a brand-new interactive video planning tool for business event professionals – Ready. Set. Melbourne.
Somewhere between a video showreel and a choose-your-own-adventure book, Ready. Set. Melbourne is an interactive video experience that integrates engaging clickable options for business events professionals to access information about Melbourne’s and regional Victoria’s capabilities as a business events destination.
The interactive video experience allows association decision-makers, appointed event planners and attendees to select the video that resonates most with the information they are seeking at a specific moment of their planning journey.
All videos are infused with further interaction points, providing in-depth local knowledge that will help viewers to host, plan and attend a conference or corporate incentive program in and around Melbourne.
MCB chief executive Julia Swanson explained the Ready. Set. Melbourne video uses the latest digital technology for viewers to interact with unique Melbourne choice-driven video experiences.
“Viewers getting to make their own choices is the cornerstone of the video platform. Ready. Set. Melbourne hands over control to the viewer, they’re in driver’s seat, making choices that then personalises the experience as they advance through the content.
Interactive content is nothing new to MCB, where it previously launched the Delegate Destination Site, digital bid books, virtual planners and exhibitor tool kits and virtual booth enhancements with animated avatars
“Like every video platform on the market, MCB is experimenting with new ways to foster engagement of its services. At the same time, we are also attempting to create an offering that isn’t found anywhere else, much like we did when we first introduced the Melbourne Virtual Site Visit and offered users the ability to explore Melbourne’s business events offering via a 360-degree first-person immersive VR experience,” Swanson said.
Ready. Set. Melbourne. was created in partnership with Business Events Australia through its Advance Program.
Wellington readies for a healthy roster of international conferences
With New Zealand’s borders now open, the capital city Wellington is preparing for a busy calendar of in-person events in 2022.
Business Events Wellington’s manager Irette Ferreira said: “These range from domestic events, which have sustained the city’s conference market since borders closed in 2020, to international conferences secured over the past several years which are now able to welcome delegates and speakers from around the world with no event restrictions.”
Upcoming events include the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works’ IIC Biennial Congress, which will now go ahead in a hybrid format in September at the National Library.
In October the city’s health sector will welcome both the 4th Feeding the Future conference of the Infant Nutrition Council of Australia and New Zealand, and the Combined Scientific Congress of the New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists and the Australian Society of Anaesthetists.
The city’s high-tech strengths will come to the fore when it hosts both the ACM Interactive Surfaces and Spaces Conference, and the International Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference in November.
Looking ahead, Ferreira predicts that 2023 is set to be a bumper year for Wellington. Major conferences scheduled to take place next year include the 10th International Crustacean Congress, the Island Biology Conference, and the International Zoo Educators Conference.
Tākina, the new Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, is also on track to open mid-2023, with more than 60 conferences already pencilled in.
Tākina will be able to accommodate a plenary of up to 1,600 delegates, with two divisible plenary halls on separate levels which can be combined. It will also offer a 1,800m2 exhibition hall with adjacent space to boost capacity, stand-alone meeting rooms, and fully integrated best-in-class AV and ICT systems.
Seoul lays out MICE support plans for 2022
The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization have revealed their plans to help support the recovery of the business events industry in 2022.
A maximum of 200 million won (US$156,832) has been set aside for international conferences with more than 20 per cent of participants attending on-site. This can be used for high-tech usage fees, etc., and unlike the previous year, PCO expenses have been added to the support. The support for the international conference invitation stage has also been increased to a maximum of 60 million won to attract more international conferences.
As for exhibition support, a maximum of 80 million won will be provided for a total of 34 exhibitions. Selected exhibitions will receive intensive consulting on information technology utilisation methods and online marketing approaches to plan their own innovative exhibitions. In addition, live streaming shopping operations during the exhibition period will be offered.
At all MICE events within the Seoul MICE Safe Zone, specialised disinfection services, quarantine gates, and quarantine products will also be provided.
Meanwhile, under the Specialized Safe Recovery support, Seoul experience-centred tour programmes, Seoul VR experience booth, and Seoul Safety Care Service will be provided for meetings with more than 50 overseas participants.
The use of the 3D virtual conference platform, Virtual Seoul 2.0 will continue to be provided free of charge. Additional usage dues such as setting a server fee are supported up to six million won.
Finally, The Future Seoul MICE Contest welcomes proposals for innovative projects or events from business events-related companies in Seoul. The contest has been split into two fields – meeting technology and unique venue. A total of 400 million won in support will be offered to the winners along with marketing and promotional consulting support.
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SITE China Chapter members are taking different routes to survive, and are upgrading themselves to be better positioned overseas and at home once China’s borders open.
Describing 2022 as “a depressing year, even more challenging than 2020, especially these last months”, chapter president, Violet Wang, based in Shanghai, said Covid-19 lockdowns and strategy changes among traditional clients in real estate, petrol-powered automobile, and technology companies business have impacted business events.
Wang, managing director of Realm and former China head of Pacific World, who became president at the start of the year, said some members are combining destination resources, building campuses in South China, and integrating them into one product for student programmes.
A member whose expertise lies in trekking and hiking experiences has collaborated with national parks, as well as professional biologists, archaeologists and zoologists to produce exclusive travel programmes in Tibet, Yunnan, Hainan and Guizhou.
She continued: “More members are curating city walking tour products and selling packages to local and expatriate individuals with stronger historical and cultural elements.
“We also have new members from exotic destinations such as Guizhou, another lost horizon with an amazing karst landscap, and Li and Miao minority culture. Past chapter president Liu Ping is devoting 100 per cent of her resources to promoting her hometown destination.
“Members are also converting their products into digital and visual content and the chapter believes these efforts will become a new strength alongside the stunning properties and Michelin-star restaurants which opened in the last two years.”
Two major virtual technology companies have joined SITE China Chapter as members, Wang said, adding that traditional business events members have brought in virtual/hybrid capabilities to accommodate international and domestic needs.
“Connectivity, stability and firewall issues have improved greatly since 2020, with virtual/hybrid events being handled frequently in China. Right now the hot topic in the MICE supplier space is the metaverse. Relevant products and events have been launched since the end of last year and (the range is) growing,” she said.