Singapore drops pre-departure tests for fully-vaccinated entrants
Travellers fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will no longer need to take any Covid-19 tests to enter Singapore from April 26, as the country lowers her Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) alert levels.
This decision by the Ministry of Health follows on from the launch of the new Vaccinated Travel Framework, which has allowed all fully vaccinated travellers to enter Singapore without serving a Stay-Home Notice (SHN) or applying for entry approvals.
Entry requirements for non-fully vaccinated travellers remain unchanged, with the exception for non-fully vaccinated children aged 12 and below. Non-fully vaccinated travellers must clear a pre-departure test two days before departure for Singapore, undergo a seven-day SHN, and take a PCR test at the end of their SHN period.
Singapore’s move to lower her DORSCON level from orange to yellow is a reflection of the improving local Covid-19 situation. The orange level – the second highest alert – was triggered on February 7, 2020.
The DORSCON yellow level comes with the removal of several restrictions, including group size limits at private gatherings, safe distancing measures, and capacity limits for large-scale events of more than 1,000 people, with effect from April 26.
Check-in at venues and facilities using Safe Entry and TraceTogether tokens will also no longer be required from April 26.
From brick-and-mortar to metaverse
Even as tradeshows, corporate meetings and exhibitions make a face-to-face comeback, the popularity for virtual events has not waned, where in certain instances, companies and organisations have chosen to create virtual environments instead.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of customers coming to us wanting to replicate their in-person environments in the metaverse. Whether that be individual offices or entire corporate campuses for large organisations, businesses want to replicate their brick-and-mortar spaces in the metaverse, to allow them to host events and conferences in familiar environments,” Danny Stefanic, CEO of MootUp, shared with TTGmice.
MootUp is a metaverse virtual events platform, which is able to create virtual worlds to host meetings and events in the metaverse, providing an immersive, 3D experience. Within the platform are over one billion avatar-style combinations, with a large library for different skin, hair and eye colour, allowing attendees to create an avatar that can show their personality more accurately.
“Businesses are shifting to remote working practices, but they still need that central space where colleagues can meet up, engage and collaborate.
“It’s what I call ‘un-remote working’. While we might not be physically in the same room or building, we can still be in the same virtual room – this is the very essence of the metaverse concept,” he elaborated.
MootUp was born in June 2020 when Stefanic noticed a gap in the virtual reality market. It is a spinoff of LearnBrite – a platform that allows the creation of 3D simulations, experiences, learning modules, micro-learning and instructor-led training.
MootUp’s launch was also buoyed by the pandemic, as organisations and event planners searched for new and creative ways to host events and keep its stakeholders engaged.
One of the biggest challenges, however, is “overcoming the public’s general misunderstanding of what the metaverse actually is”, opined Stefanic.
“Businesses like MootUp have a responsibility to ensure the public can access the metaverse and embrace virtual reality – just like they did when the Internet first launched. Importantly, we are also showing how the metaverse can be practically used by companies across all sectors and industries.”
That is why, unlike other platforms, MootUp does not require users to download software or rely on specialised devices. It runs on a browser and on any device, with users able to access the metaverse with a single click on a web link.
“The majority of metaverse platforms required users to download additional software in order to access virtual environments. This was a significant stumbling block for many people navigating the metaverse for the first time,” he explained.
Aside from a wider audience reach and being able to attend a conference in the comfort of one’s living room, another key benefit is the metaverse’s “ability to improve inclusivity”.
“For instance, we can host events in more than 50 different languages, meaning there are no barriers for attendees joining from different countries. We also found that 3D avatars can help users who are sometimes reluctant to speak up in real life feel more comfortable doing so in a virtual space. These benefits cannot be underestimated.”
Moreover, virtual event hosts and organisations will be able to obtain keener insights into attendee engagement and participation, which is “data that can be leveraged when securing sponsorships”.
There is also the case for sustainability, as concern over personal carbon footprints are on the rise, so “having a suitable virtual reality alternative that requires no travel is important”, Stefanic opined.
When asked about MootUp’s future plans, Stefanic shared the company’s top priority at the moment is the launch of Hyperspace.
Hyperspace is the 3D engine that powers MootUp and is the first native web 3.0 Metaverse for Business platform. It offers a suite of customisable tools, which also includes LearnBrite and Universal Avatars – a service offering globally unique WebXR avatars for use on the Internet.
The company has also launched its Digital Twin capability, which will allow users to recreate their physical locations in the metaverse using scanning technology.
Hong Kong eases barriers to non-residents
Foreigners who are non-residents of Hong Kong will finally be allowed to enter the special administrative region of China from next month.
They will be subject to the same arrival procedure as residents, which calls for a quarantine of seven days.
The government also said in a statement on April 22 that airlines carrying infected Covid-19 patients will face a shorter suspension of five days, down from the current seven.
Hong Kong’s borders have been tightly shut since the pandemic hit in 2020, and her reopening stance has remained cautious even as the rest of Asia moved to resume international travel.
The latest revisions are part of Hong Kong’s progressive reopening which started on April 1, 2022.
Hong Kong International Travel Expo shifts to August
Hong Kong’s fifth wave of Covid infections have forced International Travel Expo (ITE) 2022 to move from June to August 18-21.
ITE 2022 incorporates the 36th ITE (Leisure) and the 17th MICE Travel Expo.
Prior to the postponement, ITE 2022 had secured participation by repeat and new exhibiting national and regional tourism boards and companies from destinations such as Japan, Thailand and Canada.
Show organiser, TKS Exhibition Services, expects stronger exhibitor interest as more destinations waive quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated international travellers.
Meetings & Events Australia opens registration for Evolve 2022
Evolve 2022 will take place in Melbourne on June 29 and 30, and has opened the show for registration.
Delivered by Meetings & Events Australia (MEA), the country’s association for meetings management professionals, and supported by major partners Melbourne Convention Bureau, Accor and EventsAIR, Evolve 2022 will feature an education programme and networking opportunities.
Attendees can expect a blend of plenary sessions and breakout streams across three pillars: Building Confidence, Best Practice, and Future Leaders. Speakers will hail from the events sector and other industries. Headlining the speaker list is former Disney head of innovation, Duncan Wardle.
MEA CEO Peter McDonald said the event would “refresh everyone’s minds about the value of our national community after a three-year hiatus of coming together face-to-face”.
He added: “MEA wants to lead by example and show the nation how it’s possible to gather safely for events and in large social groups. We’re hoping that Evolve will be the inspiration or impetus for other event holders to hit the ‘go’ button and drive the sector’s resurgence.”
Julia Swanson, CEO of MCB, said: “It’s time to reconnect and engage at business events – get the energy and magic of face-to-face interactions back again. With that front of mind, we look forward to seeing the events sector convene here in vibrant Melbourne at the live hub of Evolve 2022.”
Thailand scraps on-arrival PCR tests, lowers Covid insurance coverage
Thailand is further lowering entry barriers for international travellers, with on-arrival PCR tests being scrapped and minimum Covid insurance coverage being cut from US$20,000 to US$10,000.
The latest round of changes will come into effect on May 1.
However, international travellers will still be required to register for a Thailand Pass with a Certificate of Covid-19 Vaccination and proof of insurance coverage. With this, they will be allowed entry and are free to go anywhere in the Kingdom.
International travellers who are unvaccinated or are not fully vaccinated will also no longer need to show proof of a pre-arrival negative PCR test nor undergo an arrival test.
They are required to register for a Thailand Pass with a five-day hotel booking and an insurance policy with coverage of no less than US$10,000
– reduced from US$20,000.
Upon arrival in Thailand, they must be quarantined for five days and take a PCR test on the fifth day of their stay.
Exception is made for unvaccinated travellers who are able to upload proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of travel via the Thailand Pass system. With this, they will be allowed entry and are free to go anywhere in Thailand.
The latest measures follow the removal in March of a pre-departure test requirement.
Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong welcomes new head
Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong has appointed Christopher Chia as general manager of Island Shangri-La with immediate effect.
In his new role, Chia will oversee the daily operations of Island Shangri-La, and Aberdeen Marina Club.
A seasoned hotelier with a career spanning over 30 years with the Shangri-La Group, Chia possesses extensive managerial experience overseeing flagship properties, including Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore; Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Manila and Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing, and developing new projects under the Group’s portfolio across the North China region.
His most recent position was vice president at Shangri-La Hotel International Management Limited, a role which he had held since 2014, while concurrently taking on the role of General Manager at China World Hotel from 2016 to 2019, followed by a short stint outside of the Group and then a two-year sabbatical.
Prateek Kumar takes on dual role at Dusit International
Dusit International has appointed Prateek Kumar as senior vice president – operations, in addition to this current role as general manager of Dusit Thani Dubai.
In his new role, Kumar will oversee the operations of properties in EMEA, India, the Philippines, Singapore, the Maldives, Japan, and selected properties in Thailand. He will be responsible for enforcing brand quality standards, enhancing customer satisfaction, and delivering optimum financial returns at each property under his supervision.
Kumar first joined Dusit 14 years ago, in 2008, as general manager of Dusit Thani Manila. In January 2013, he became the general manager of Dusit Thani Dubai. Two years later, he was promoted to area general manager – UAE, followed in 2017 by his most recent role: regional vice president – EMEA.
During his career, he has worked in senior management positions for the former Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Renaissance/Marriott Hotels in Australia. Prior to joining Dusit, he worked for Raffles Hotels and Resorts and was responsible for the preopening of Ascott Raffles Place, Singapore.
Bali sees uptick in incentives requests, stakeholders confident about future prospects
As Indonesia does away on-arrival PCR tests and eases visa policies, Bali-based business events players are reporting budding interest from incentive groups, bringing hope and confidence to stakeholders.
Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort’s general manager Sylvain Pasdeloup, told TTGmice that the property has received around 20 international, incentives-related enquires for 2022, and he expects to welcome more for 2023.
Meanwhile, at The Apurva Kempinski Resort Bali, the demand for incentives spiked after Bali announced its reopening.
“We are seeing a strong uptick of around 40 per cent in enquiries for 2022, as well as some leads for 2023 and 2024,” said Kadek Budiasa, the resort’s director of sales and marketing.
Other properties in Bali have already secured confirmed bookings.
For instance, Merusaka Beachfront Resort & Spa will be welcoming incentive groups of between 50 to 200 participants from India in May, June, and September.
As for Good Day Tour Bali, the company has also received a number of incentive groups, but these were mainly those that were scheduled for 2020 and were postponed due to the pandemic, shared its managing director Wisnu Arimbawa.
Wisnu pointed out that the timing to obtain new corporate incentives bookings for 2022 has passed as most companies plan for such trips at the beginning of the year, but pandemic-related restrictions were only recently eased in April.
“As such, a new booking that will come in this year, will most likely be for 2023 or beyond,” he shared.
Another factor that stood in the way of Bali’s recovery was that direct flights to Bali are still limited, which means seats are currently quite expensive, according to Adjie Wahjono, operations manager of Aneka Kartika Tours.
Regardless, Adjie and Wisnu are optimistic about the future, and expect the demand for incentives will hit around 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in 2023, before a full recovery in 2024.
Wisnu suggested that business events stakeholders target South-east Asian outbound incentives for now. “Singapore has the most potential as there are many direct flights available. Besides, many regional officers are based there.”
Umberto Cadamuro, chief operating officer inbound of Pacto, meanwhile, is looking further afield to India, as Bali is a popular travel spot for outbound Indian travellers.
“We should not expect Europeans to return so soon as their market is experiencing a crisis due to the Ukraine-Russia war, which (results in) corporations being more careful in planning incentive trips,” he added.
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Domestic business travel across India is fast gaining pace, driven by IT, FMCG and banking companies.
The strong uptick in corporate movements has enable Thomas Cook (India) & SOTC to close its March business at 90 per cent of 2019 levels, revealed Indiver Rastogi, president & group head – global business travel.
“Corporate travel is witnessing a definitive acceleration (due to) easing of travel restrictions and economic growth gaining momentum,” he said.
According to some Indian hoteliers, the hybrid work arrangements undertaken by Indian companies are helping to fuel the rise in domestic business travel demand.
Sarbendra Sarkar, founder & managing director, Cygnett Hotels and Resorts, said the “hybrid style of working…has opened the doors for cross-city meetings”.
Sarkar is confident that business travel bookings will continue to gain pace and “reach a high by year-end”.
Clear signs of improving business, according to Sarkar, are the “good ADRs” commanded by hotels now as well as rising airfares.
Key metro cities like New Delhi and Mumbai are leading the demand for corporate travel.
Rastogi also pointed out that while uptick is evident across key Indian hubs, Mumbai is witnessing the fastest recovery for his company’s business travel segment.
Sarkar noted that business travel is a critical component of the hospitality business, as it “eases the pressure of inconsistent leisure traffic”.