Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa in the Maldives, operated by local operator Lily Hotels, has promoted Christophe Adam from resident manager to general manager.
With 27 years of hospitality experience, he brings a wealth of experience to Hideaway.
This French native has worked for LUX Resorts & Hotels in roles such as resident manager and regional director of sales and marketing before joining Lily Hotels.
Melbourne’s successful hosting of AIME 2022, Australia’s first in-person international travel trade gathering since the pandemic began, has inspired confidence in the industry’s recovery among participating Asian event planners.
The event, which concluded last Wednesday, hosted 27 buyers from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and India, making Asia the largest represented region participating this year amid continued travel and quarantine restrictions.
Many buyers told TTGmice they were inspired by seeing what was possible after two years of hard borders and gathering restrictions, and appreciated the flexibility shown by suppliers to adapt to new challenges as countries begin easing restrictions for overseas travel.
“I found suppliers to be really open-minded about ways to work with us, which is really important right now because everyone needs to adapt,” said Elaine Lau, managing director of La Global Travel in Malaysia.
“Coming to AIME has also given us an opportunity to start travel and business events again. We need to begin to show everyone else that it’s safe to get together and do events, and we need to kickstart quickly to recover from the last two years,” she added.
CEO of Indonesia’s Samasta Tour and Travel, Teguh Basuki, said attending AIME was like experiencing the “rebirth” of the travel industry. “For me, it was important for people to see events happening safely; even more important than the usual price and destination considerations,” he observed.
Hosted buyers also shared that they were surprised to find an abundance of new products and services despite the pandemic.
“The number of new developments (I have learnt about) has been very interesting. Singaporeans like visiting Australia, so for the next few months, I foresee a lot of travel to Melbourne and the rest of Australia,” said Joevi Tay, sales manager at Singapore’s EU Mice.
Melbourne Convention Bureau CEO Julia Swanson told TTGmice that instilling confidence in organising events was the most important achievement for AIME. The event attracted about 1,500 participants, with some 900 people attending the Welcome Event on Tuesday night.
“Recovery will take a while and that’s okay. Event planners are rethinking their business models and exploring doing things in a slightly different way. We’ve now had the time to work with them to give them some new ideas or incorporate new things into their programme,” said Swanson.
Swanson also said interest out of Asia for small- to medium-sized groups is increasing, and this market is expected to return quickly now that air access has been re-established.
Melbourne is expected to host 97 business events between now and the end of the year worth A$195 million (US$147 million), attracting almost 50,000 delegates. Events include The World Block Chain Summit and the International Congress on Obesity in September and October respectively.
The demand for outbound incentives from India will continue to surge this year – buoyed by the Indian government’s recent decision to ease travel restrictions – and both tourism boards and travel consultants have taken notice.
“The lifting of restrictions on scheduled international flights has proved to be a huge booster to outbound travel intent, especially for MICE. We believe that groups are more than ready and are raring to travel,” said Neliswa Nkani, hub head – MEISEA, South African Tourism. “In fact, we recently booked a group of 800+ pax from a renowned pharmaceutical company in India.”
The NTO recently hosted Indian buyers at the 2022 edition of Meetings Africa in Johannesburg – the African continent’s largest tradeshow for the business events industry. The NTO is also planning to host Indian travel buyers at Indaba 2022, a trade fair by the African Travel and Tourism Association scheduled from May 3 to 5.
Currently, about 28 per cent of all Indian visitors to South Africa are corporate travellers.
Iyad Rasbey, executive director, destination tourism development, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, has similarly noticed that incentive group travel from India is “ready to make a comeback”.
“Insurance, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and FMCG industry are sectors that are driving the demand for incentive travel. DMCs are creating programmes that include Ras Al Khaimah for activities and nature-based adventures for incentive groups,” he added.
The tourism board will be conducting two roadshows next month in New Delhi and Mumbai to raise awareness about its various tourism products and experiences for different verticals, including the business events market.
S D Nandakumar, president & country head – B2B & foreign exchange, SOTC Travel, concurred with Rasbey’s observations.
He said: “Over 85 per cent of our corporate movement is incentive-driven and we have multiple groups ranging from 40 attendees to over 4,000 lined up, from varied sectors inclusive of pharmaceutical, insurance, cement, textile, FMCG, paint, automobile, banking, finance, and agriculture.”
For these groups, shorthaul destinations like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sri Lanka and Australia rank the highest, while Europe remains popular for longhaul groups.
Joining the destination marketing frenzy in India is Tourism Australia, which held a Business Event Australia Showcase in Mumbai from March 10 to 11. India’s top 15 MICE agents were invited to interact with business events stakeholders from Australia.
On Australia’s event calendar this year is the T20 Cricket World Cup from October 22 to November 13, which the NTO expects to draw a strong incentive travel demand from India.
“This tournament is going to be a major game-changer from a MICE perspective as there are a lot of corporates that are showing interest to host their dealers and employees during the sporting event,” Nishant Kashikar, country manager, India & Gulf, Tourism Australia, told TTGmice.
Meera Charnalia, senior vice president and head – MICE, Thomas Cook (India), said: “Corporates are displaying a keen interest in outdoor and experiential activities for team bonding sessions, masterchef classes, and exploring hidden local gems, water sports, and exclusive sundowner events.”
She added that most companies have held back on spending for the last two years, resulting in a growing appetite for “exclusive experiences” along with an increased budget.
Thomas Cook (India) has also noticed keen interest in organising events at luxury hotels, with clients ready to splurge on Michelin-star dining experiences.
“We have a robust pipeline of group sizes ranging from 50 to 600. On average, budgets we are seeing this year range between Rs. 75,000 (US$983) to Rs. 100,000 per delegate for a stay of three nights at a shorthaul destination, to approximately Rs. 175,000 to Rs. 250,000 at a mid- or longhaul destination,” Charnalia revealed.
Popular shorthaul destinations Charnalia’s clients are keen on include Thailand, the UAE and the Maldives, while longhaul destinations include France, the UK, and Switzerland.
Companies in Australia seem to be completely abandoning virtual meetings for 2Q2022, according to events technology company Cvent.
This observation was made by Cvent Australia’s director of sales, Jack Ukil, who shared that 95 per cent of the meetings Cvent is supporting in the second quarter have gone in favour of hybrid or fully in-person events, providing insight into Australia’s appetite to return to face-to-face meetings.
“It was eye-opening to see how fast our industry is recovering here in Australia, with people craving to get back to in-person,” Ukil shared at AIME in Melbourne on March 22.
“If I compared North America to Australia, I think we have a lot more in-person and hybrid events returning and faster right now, which is surprising to me because they were ahead of the curve. But while we had a few issues with lockdowns, I think overall we handled really well and as a result, we’re back to in-person and hybrid faster than anywhere else across the planet,” he added.
Cvent Australia has been experiencing “non-standard” business growth of 96 per cent year-on-year since the pandemic hit, as clients turned to technology solutions to engage their audience.
This surge in demand for a return to face-to-face meetings is expected to lead to new challenges and “substantial business growth” for Cvent.
“Compared to last year, I’m doubling down on my business development management team. That obviously has a ripple effect and impacts the account management team, which eventually grows as a result, and my client services team grows too,” said Ukil.
Cvent is also investing heavily in enhancing tech solutions for meeting planners further, with plans to offer “CNN-style webinars” that deliver higher quality production standards, more interactive capabilities and community-style functionality to give users the sense of being more connected to a broader group.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Convention Bureau have set aside US$2.2 million in the budget to support the city’s battered business events industry.
Assistance will cover various areas of the business events industry, such as providing a safe and secure environment for events, where quarantine services, quarantine gates, and specialised sterilisation equipment will be provided at venues.
Other types of support include Experience Tour Program and Seoul VR Experience Booth for groups of 50 or more participants with in-person attendance; provision of necessary PCR tests for travel; as well as help in digitalising exhibitions.
Subventions for attracting, hosting, and organising international conferences – regardless of whether they are in-person or hybrid – will be enhanced, and a 3D virtual MICE platform will be offered free-of-charge to organisers.
For instance, the subventions for attracting international conferences will be doubled, and the maximum subvention for international conferences will also be increased when 20 per cent or more participants attend on-site.
The 16th edition of Food and Hotel Malaysia (FHM), Malaysia’s trade-only food and hospitality exhibition, will return next week with a physical edition – the first in two years.
FHM will take place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) from March 29 to April 1. Organised by Informa Markets Malaysia, the event will mark the first trade fair for the hospitality industry in 2022.
The four-day event will feature 200 participating brands and is expected to welcome over 8,000 attendees during the week. Some of the multinational and Malaysian brands showcasing their latest products, services and innovations include FrieslandCampina Professional, Pastry Pro, Bidfood Malaysia, Golden Pacific Victory, DKSH Malaysia, Unox (Asia) and Bestari Sales & Marketing.
The key themes of FHM 2022 will reflect the latest industry trends, such as plant-based food, food technology, industry 4.0 advancements, pastry innovations and sustainable packaging.
Event highlights include a Pastry Innovation Lab, which will feature live cooking showcases by top chefs from the Professional Culinaire Association every day. The chefs will use innovative techniques, ingredients, and state-of-the-art machinery to craft unique desserts, pastries and showpieces infused with Malaysian and Asian flavours. A total of 15 demonstration sessions and six tasting sessions will be held at the Pastry Innovation Lab over the four days.
FHM 2022 will also herald the return of Culinaire Malaysia. In this year’s culinary competition, up to 1,000 professionals will compete for glory in seven gastronomic categories – Cold Display, Patisserie, Artistic, Butchery Skills, Individual Hot Cooking, Team Challenge and F&B Skills. Members of the public can witness the culinary showdown by paying an admission fee of RM10 (US$2.40) per person.
A series of educational seminars will be held concurrently with the exhibition. The programme lineup includes a Wine Features series by Entwine Consultancy, as well as a Crafted@Culinaire series by AYS Wine & Sake Consultancy, both of which will provide insights into key emerging trends within the regional wine, beer and premium alcoholic beverages industry.
The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) and the Congress Center Basel in Switzerland have signed an IAPCO Convention Centre partnership.
Back in 2019, IAPCO staged its Annual Meeting at Congress Center Basel which Martin Boyle, IAPCO president said had “easy accessibility, the state-of-the-art infrastructure”.
Congress Center Basel is one of three convention centres along with KLCC in Kuala Lumpur and ICC in Belfast, to have formed a Convention Centre partnership with IAPCO of late.
Boyle added: “IAPCO is delighted to have Congress Centre Basel as a new Convention Centre Partner. The IAPCO Mission is to raise the standards of service among our Members but also across other sectors of the meetings industry and it is through partnerships with organisations that represent high levels of quality such as Congress Center Basel that we are able to do so. We look forward to collaborating together for the continued advancement of our industry.”
Nattinee McMillan has joined Meliá Phuket Mai Khao as director of sales and marketing.
She joins from Dream Phuket Hotel and Spa, where she served as director of sales and assisted with hotel operations.
The Thai national has 15 years of hospitality experience in sales, event management and operational roles. She started her hospitality career in 2006 with the banquet department at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, and rose through the ranks to become an event manager. She also spent time at COMO Point Yamu as its sales and event manager.
The Conrad Centennial Singapore has appointed Tan Chii Shyan as the hotel’s new executive sous chef.
The Malaysian brings a wealth of experience and expertise, having developed his culinary techniques in various five-star establishments in Malaysia and Singapore.
Tan joins from Hilton Singapore, where he also served as executive sous chef.
Brought to you by the Singapore Tourism Board
With sustainability a top priority in Singapore, the garden city has key infrastructure that supports Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions (MICE) stakeholders in conducting green business events.
This is in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, unveiled in 2021, which is a whole-of-nation movement to advance the national agenda on sustainable development.
The Green Plan charts ambitious and concrete targets over the next 10 years, strengthening Singapore’s commitments under the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Paris Agreement, and positioning the city-state to achieve her long-term net zero emissions aspiration as soon as viable.
A wealth of green options for MICE events
The country’s business events ecosystem has also stepped up to the challenge of reducing its carbon footprint and waste with green initiatives.
From well-equipped energy-efficient venues, green meeting packages, complete with sustainable dining, as well as eco-friendly accommodation, Singapore is well-positioned to cater to all the needs of eco-conscious businesses.
For instance, MICE delegates mindful of their environmental impact can rest assured that they can stay, dine and work in sustainable ways when they attend a business event in Singapore.
Edward Chew, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) told TTGmice that the premium lifestyle destination resort launched Eco-MICE packages that provide guests with meals served in sustainable packaging and feature reusable pens and recycled paper for use during events last year.
RWS houses world-class theme parks and attractions, six unique luxury hotels, the Resorts World Convention Centre and a casino.
To reduce food waste, all unserved food is donated to the Food Bank. Food grinders and a biodigester have also been installed in the kitchens to decrease food waste heading to landfills.
LED lighting are also installed across the resort’s MICE venues and motion sensors are fitted in washrooms – all to increase energy efficiency.
RWS became the first destination in the world to be certified in accordance to both Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Destination Criteria and its Industry Criteria for Hotels, and was also conferred the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS) MICE Sustainability Certification.
Another MICE option with green operations is MAX Atria, the convention wing of Singapore EXPO. It is the first MICE venue to receive Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority Green Mark Platinum Award.
Its eco-friendly offerings include use of remote controlled, energy-efficient LED lights in MAX Atria and Exhibition Halls, solar panels, and a food digester to turn food waste into electricity, water and compost, according to Ang Chee Chiang, general manager, centre management, Constellar Venues. Constellar is the operator for Singapore EXPO and MAX Atria, Singapore’s largest purpose-built, award-winning MICE venue.
The facility even offers exhibitors modular structures and carpentry that can be repurposed.
Singapore is also home to one of the most sustainable event venues in Asia. Sands Expo and Convention Centre became the first carbon neutral MICE venue in Singapore in 2020, on top of being the first MICE venue in Asia Pacific in 2019 to attain the LEED Platinum green building certification for Building Operations and Maintenance.
In fact, Marina Bay Sands’ (MBS) investment in renewable energy certificates and carbon offsets covers 100 per cent of the carbon emissions generated from the said meeting venue’s gas and electricity consumption.
MBS’ green meeting practices also include delicious sustainable food options and having the event décor reused, recycled or planted.
For MICE planners new to the green frontier, they can also look to MBS’ Sands ECO360 Meetings Programme that helps them plan in three steps and customise their events to meet their sustainability goals.
The country’s first ‘Garden-in-a-Hotel’, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, Singapore, boasts of extensive lush greenery across 15,000 square feet of space which functions as natural air purifiers and sinks for carbon dioxide.
Its urban farm, one of the largest in the city-state, provides 20 per cent of the hotel’s supply, reducing its dependence on the food supply chain, as well as allows its culinary team to introduce more plant-based options and create awareness on their benefits and positive impact on the environment.
Interest for the hotel’s green meeting package has been high – an eco-centric alternative that focuses on purposefully implemented eco-conscious practices that help to reduce waste and minimise the carbon footprint for events, sustainable options for refreshments and a farm-to-table working lunch in eco-friendly bento boxes.
General manager, Melvin Lim, said: “Sustainability is what is best for the planet, and our guests are increasingly demanding this level of commitment from us.”
To regulate energy use, the hotel’s other green practices include energy-efficient windows, guestroom filtered water systems and motion sensors.
To source more local produce, numerous Singapore hotels have also created their own food gardens. The Fairmont Singapore and sister property, Swissotel The Stamford even house a rooftop aquaponics farm to efficiently grow their own vegetables and seafood without pesticides and utilise far less water than traditional methods.
Going green makes business sense
Going green not only benefits the environment, it also bolsters demand and contributes to bottomlines for MICE players too.
Ang said: “We have seen an encouraging increase in the number of clients looking at reducing environmental impact of the event components and adopting more sustainable practices for their events. Being a sustainability-focused venue is a key strategic thrust that allows us to remain attractive and relevant as a MICE venue.”
RWS also saw more event enquiries from sustainability-conscious corporates, with several having subscribed and supported its campaign towards greener meetings, according to Chew.
Moving ahead, the MICE ecosystem continues to up the ante on the sustainability game.
Constellar will keep at charting its green targets and adopting established industry practices and standards towards being a carbon-neutral venue, with one of their key targets being organising net zero carbon events, Ang said.
Chew added that RWS is in the process of applying for the Events Industry Council Sustainable Event Standards, which will give it “a stronger edge in catering to the needs of business travellers and sustainable MICE events of tomorrow”.
Discover how easy it is to hold a green event in Singapore here.
To learn how Singapore can support your next business event, visit Singapore Tourism Board.
