Asia/Singapore Tuesday, 13th January 2026
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IBTM World lays out enhanced health & safety protocols for year-end event

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A previous year's IBTM World event

IBTM World Barcelona has revealed the health and safety measures for its in-person event, which this year will take place between November 30 to December 2 at Fira Barcelona.

Inside the venue, attendees are required to wear masks and maintain a 1.5-metre social distancing as per the current Spanish regulations. Exhibitors will incorporate this requirement into their stand design and stand demonstrations will be one-to-one to avoid congregations.

A previous year’s IBTM World event

Other measures in place include increased ventilation incorporating outdoor fresh air, hand sanitiser stations and the highest standards of cleaning before, during and after the event.

All attendees are also encouraged to plan their travel to the venue and print their badges ahead of time to allow for a smooth event entry.

David Thompson, event director, said: “It has been exciting to see the incredible response and appetite from our community to get back to doing business in person. Our primary focus this year remains on the safety of our exhibitors, partners, visitors and employees so that everyone involved has a fantastic and fruitful event experience. We are cutting no corners and we will apply all safety guidelines and regulations with the utmost diligence to ensure attendees can wholeheartedly and confidently focus on the power of doing business face-to-face and benefit from the practical takeaways and business relations acquired on the show floor.”

Kerry Prince, brand director, RX (the organisers of IBTM World), said: “Having already successfully run a series of events in 2021 as part of our RX portfolio, we have been able to take some of the learnings from those shows and apply them to the strategic planning of IBTM World. Our team has worked extensively with industry peers to create a safe working standard called “All Secure” for holding events in a Covid-impacted world, and IBTM is working closely with the local authorities and the Fira Barcelona to implement all other necessary precautions.”

Travel managers need a new set of travel and meeting ROIs

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The pandemic has fuelled an increased need for employers to provide a fresh set of ROIs to justify travel and meetings in the new normal.

According to speakers at The ROI of Business Travel & Meetings session presented by GBTA at IT&CM Asia, most companies operated remotely in 2020, and barely any travel and meetings were conducted in-person. Regardless, companies outside of the travel industry were able to retain revenues with minimal or no travel.

ROI measurements have to be adjusted for future travel and meeting budgets

Bruce Kopkin, vice president sales & marketing of DVI, pointed out: “Now that we can start travelling again, CFOs are asking why should (travel and meeting) budgets be given back, when (companies) have proven that business could be run without travel.”

As such, companies will need to adjust their ROI measurements. In fact, a GBTA survey in February conducted among CFOs of companies with revenue of over US$250 million in the US and Europe showed 47 per cent said future travel and meeting spend would need to be justified.

“To calculate ROI today, travel managers will need to collect data from within the company, such as from TMCs, CRM, ERP, human resources, and customer satisfaction,” Kopkin elaborated.

Time spent on Zoom meetings also need to be factored in, he pointed out, adding that data of both the essential and discretionary areas need to be considered, such as KPIs, salary and travelling time.

Meanwhile, Sharlene Ketwaroo-Nanoo, category manager, Rogers Communications pointed out that while traditional areas of savings were still valid, factors like employee engagement and competitive advantage were emerging as a measurement of economic ROIs.

“The question is what parts do travel and meetings play a part in the evaluation of ROI for these activities, especially considering that it may be difficult to draw that line between customer retention and revenue contribution for the organisation.”

Citing increased spending – due to the pandemic – that can affect value versus savings, Crystal Toupin, principal manager partnerships, Cvent added that while in the past, room and car-sharing were part of the cost savings, this was no longer applicable.

“This will be an increased expense that we need to factor into our matrix of ROI moving forward,” she said.

Border reopenings bolster business travel confidence

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Stakeholders have seen a pick up in the business travel sector

Emerging border reopening mechanisms across Asia-Pacific have helped to improve travel confidence, with enquiries for business travel and tradeshow attendance surfacing again in recent weeks.

At an IT&CM Asia Knowledge Session, titled Next 6 Months’ Travel Outlook for Asia-Pacific, speaker James Ellis, director of sales, Asia with FCM, said the region’s conservative approach to Covid-19 containment was finally giving way to some “positive steps in the right direction”.

Stakeholders have seen a pick up in the business travel sector

Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane with Germany has inspired some Singapore-based clients to plan meetings in Germany, where they would convene with partners from across Europe.

Ellis’ confidence in business travel recovery is also buoyed by Hong Kong’s new Come2hk quarantine-free scheme for residents of mainland China and Macau, as well as Australia’s decision to reopen to vaccinated travellers.

Fellow speaker Kenny Yong, founder & group CEO, Fireworks Trade Media Group, revealed that the last two weeks brought “a surge in demand for face-to-face events because I think everyone is seeing a clearer light at the end of the tunnel”.

Demand to participate in Fireworks’ tradeshows next June in Malaysia is the strongest, he said.

In tracking passenger profiles for Asia-Pacific inbound and outbound travel between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022, Jameson Wong, vice president, strategic client & partnerships, APAC, ForwardKeys, noted that international business and group travel volumes are still down against 2019, although Asia-Pacific business departures are rising strongly against pre-pandemic times. Business departures from the region stood at 6.2 per cent in 2019 and 10 per cent now.

However, Ellis and Yong admit that travel confidence will continue to sway easily with ongoing travel uncertainties arising from snap decisions on border restrictions and new infection surges.

Interest among Asian exhibitors in fresh, faraway markets has also declined, observed Yong, who said that perceived safer destinations such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia are favoured now by businesses eager to resume tradeshows next year.

Joint Leadership Summit to take place in-person in Singapore

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PHOTO CAPTION: The event will underscore the value of exhibitions as vital economic drivers and a sustainable way of promoting and accelerating global commerce

The Joint Leadership Summit (JLS) of AEO / SACEOS / SISO / UFI – Singapore taking place from October 5-7 at the Fullerton Hotel, will see the first face-to-face meeting, since the pandemic began, of ASEAN government ministers, major global organisers, trade association leaders and tourism bureau chiefs.

During the meeting, stakeholders will be discussing how to reinvigorate the region’s business events industry and reboot inter- and intra-regional business travel. During the summit, industry executives and association leaders will exchange insights and perspectives on global reopening experiences and sector developments.

The event will underscore the value of exhibitions as vital economic drivers and a sustainable way of promoting and accelerating global commerce; Singapore pictured

The event will also witness the launch of the Asia CEO Summit @ Singapore, an annual dialogue for the regional exhibition industry taking place over three years from 2022 to 2024 in Singapore.

As the first international business event with fully vaccinated participants to be held in Singapore, the JLS will put forward a clear action plan to restart business events in the region.

Operators of the event have been accredited with the SG SafeEvent Certification – a mark of assurance for event organisers in Singapore in upholding the highest standards of hygiene and safety management measures and best practices.

The event is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and co-organised by the Singapore Association for Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS), Association of Event Organisers (AEO), Society for Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry.

Yap Chin Siang, deputy chief executive, STB, said: “As Singapore journeys towards Covid-resilience, we will continue to facilitate the safe and gradual resumption of MICE events. The JLS and the launch of the Asia CEO Summit reflects Singapore’s strong standing as a Global-Asia Node for MICE and business. While the pandemic has changed the way we work and travel, Singapore remains committed to strengthening existing partnerships while forging new ones.”

Taiwan steps up digitalisation efforts

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Taipei pictured

Taiwan is ramping up its hybrid events sector by developing and improving digital technology solutions, marked by the destination’s recent launch of its first virtual exhibitions platform.

Guann-Jhy Lee, deputy director of Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade, said the platform has a variety of virtual exhibition halls, lounges, booths and areas which event planners can construct “fully-functional online exhibitions” in.

Hybrid events are the way to go; Taipei pictured

Overall, the destination understands that hybrid events are the way to go, and are also connecting buyers and sellers globally through the platform’s video conferencing features. The bureau is also exploring 5G and artificial intelligence.

Other government efforts include organising a series of courses on augmented reality and digital equipment operations. They are also helping the industry explore global business opportunities by setting up virtual booths at tradeshows such as the ongoing IT&CM Asia by TTG Asia Media.

TAITRA’s executive vice president and MEET Taiwan executive director, Simon Wang, remains confident that Asia’s appetite for digital and hybrid events remains strong.

Wang cited the UFI Global Recovery Insight Report which revealed that exhibitions in Asia are likely to see higher participation growth from both visitors and exhibitors, compared to the rest of the world.

PCMA’s APAC dashboard survey reflected similar findings: nearly 80 per cent of Asia-Pacific respondents were planning a hybrid event, as compared to 27 per cent of North American planners, to which Wang states there is definitely a “strong indication of growth to come in Asia-Pacific”.

Nicole Walker becomes president of EEAA

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Nicole Walker

The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) has revealed a newly constituted Board of Directors, following the Annual General Meeting on September 28.

Nicole Walker

The new office bearers for the EEAA Board were elected unopposed:

  • Nicole Walker, Arinex – president
  • Helen Mantellato, ICC Sydney – vice president
  • Paul Elliot, Harry the hirer – treasurer and,
  • Elissa Duke, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC) – secretary

The two-venue designated board positions remain vacant. The board has agreed to call for expressions of interest from venue members, which close on December 10.

Incoming president, Nicole Walker, said, “It is a true honour to be elected as president of EEAA and the Board. I will continue the advocacy work, provide our members with clear outcomes, drive quality training and best practice to grow their businesses. Together with the Board and the EEAA team, I will ensure the value of this sector is recognised in Australasia, not only for the industries it supports but for the legacies it leaves long after.

“Spiro stated in his outgoing message about the difficulties in bringing the industry together under one umbrella however, I would like to thank Spiro and the EEAA outgoing Board for having this conversation with the Australian events industry and look forward to continuing these discussions. I hope to provide enthusiasm for collaboration to ensure consolidation and strength of unity and voice of the exhibition and events industry.”

Other newly-elected board members include:

  • Rodney Cox, director, Delaro as Supplier representative
  • Rod Peter, managing director, Coleman Group as Supplier representative
  • Kym De Britt, CEO, Australian Dental Industry Association as the Association representative

The newly constituted EEAA Board of Directors:

Organiser representatives:

  • Nicole Walker, CEO, Arinex
  • David Longman, managing director, Diversified Communications Australia
  • Spiro Anemogiannis, managing director, Informa Australia
  • Matt Pearce, CEO, Talk2 Media and Events

Association organiser representative:

  • Kym De Britt, CEO, Australian Dental Industry Association

Supplier representatives:

  • Paul Elliott, state manager NSW, Harry the hirer
  • Rodney Cox, director, Delaro
  • Libbie Ray, director, Connected Event Group
  • Rod Peter, managing director, Coleman Group

Venue representatives:

  • Helen Mantellato, senior manager, business development international & exhibitions, ICC Sydney
  • Elissa Duke, senior manager, agile project management office, MCEC

Constructing safe spaces

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Hot idea
Craft different delegate experiences for both online and offline audiences

Event brief
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has been hosting its congress since 1955. Held every five years, the event was due to be held in Kyoto in April 2020, but was postponed until March 2021.

Yoshiaki Matsui, deputy director of conventions and tourism at Kyoto Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the 2021 event “marks only the second time Japan has hosted the event – the first was in 1970 – and both times have been in Kyoto”.

During the six-day event, a record 152 member states were represented as well as 114 non-governmental organisations, 37 intergovernmental organisations, several UN agencies and organisations, and 600 individual experts. Some 5,600 participants from 152 countries were registered, including those who attended in-person at Kyoto International Conference Center.

Kyoto was originally chosen as the venue because of its experience in hosting conferences for the United Nations, and governmental and academic bodies. When it was decided that the conference would have an in-person element, the organisers were confident that Kyoto could host the event safely and effectively, explained Matsui.

Event highlights
Kyoto introduced thorough countermeasures against infection spread as well as high-specification technology for online hosting. In addition to the formal proceedings of the congress, 13 special events and many ancillary meetings were held.

All attendees were able to experience Kyoto’s history and culture. For those attending in person, the local business community offered activities while maintaining social distancing, including kimono dressing and koto (zither) performances. There were also traditional crafts and tourism booths manned by staff from local museums and certified interpreter guides.

Food and drinks were a key part of the hospitality. Bento boxed lunches, which guests enjoyed alone, were prepared in collaboration with nine local inns and restaurants that each prepared their speciality dish. Many kinds of dietary needs, such as halal or vegetarian, were also catered for. The renowned Uji green tea was served.

Congress gifts included a traditional Kyoto fan with antibacterial properties to reduce transmission of airborne droplets and a reusable metal water bottle, to reflect anti-infection and environmentally-friendly efforts.

Challenges
Speaking of what the hosts had to overcome, Matsui said: “We found a balance between following the pandemic rules, and being able to easily host the event in a high-quality way.”

In addition to infection prevention measures such as social distancing and heightened ventilation, participants had a private transfer from the airport to the venue, and abided by a stay-in-place order that limited them to conference venues and their hotel. Seats at the venue were fixed and social bubbles were used to limit face-to-face contact.

Communication with attendees was emphasised. Attendees were asked not to shake hands or exchange business cards, a critically important custom in Japan. They were asked to avoid common touchpoints, such as doorknobs, by using their elbows.

The congress also received 24-hour support from an English-speaking medical team.

Event 14th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Organiser United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Venue Kyoto International Conference Center
Date March 7–12, 2021
Attendance 5,600

Hilton makes two changes to its leadership team

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From left: Paul Hutton; and Alexandra Murray

Hilton has appointed Paul Hutton to the position of head of Australasia, while Alexandra (Alex) Murray will take on the role of head of South-east Asia, with both leadership changes effective January 1, 2022.

Hutton will succeed Heidi Kunkel, who has led the Australasia region over the past 3.5ears. The move represents a return to the Australasia leadership role for Hutton, who spent the past four years as Hilton’s regional head of South-east Asia, where he built a robust leadership team and oversaw significant portfolio growth.

From left: Paul Hutton; and Alexandra Murray

As the leader of Hilton’s Australasia portfolio, Hutton will be based in Sydney where he will continue to drive Hilton’s successful recovery efforts, working closely with the company’s network of owners. In this role, he will oversee 27 operating hotels and a development pipeline of 12 hotels and resorts, with further growth plans to double Hilton’s footprint in Australasia in the next five years.

Taking up the South-east Asia leadership role is Murray, who will transfer from Hilton’s operations in Europe, Middle East & Africa. In that role, Alex oversaw a portfolio of 57 hotels with a pipeline of 47 properties.

Based in Singapore, Murray will oversee 46 open and trading hotels in the region, with a further 51 in the pipeline – including the largest Hilton hotel in the APAC region.

Both Hutton and Murray will be part of the Hilton APAC Senior Leadership Team.

HKCA helps Hong Kong secure another two tech conferences

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Hong Kong scores another two tech conferences

Hong Kong has secured two major tech conferences to be held next year – the inaugural Greater Bay Area Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Conference 2022 (GBAAIR Conference), and IEEE Region 10 Conference 2022 (TENCON), which was last held in the city in 2006.

This is in addition to the announcement of the return of RISE, another tech event that will return to Hong Kong annually for five years running starting from March 2022.

Hong Kong (pictured) scores another two tech conferences

The two conferences are expected to act as a magnet for leading industry experts, strengthening the city’s position as a pivotal innovation and technology (I&T) hub. Conference organisers paid tribute to the Hong Kong Convention Ambassador (HKCA) programme initiated by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), which helped them decide on the best location.

HKTB’s executive director Dane Cheng said: “Since starting the HKCA programme, we have received tremendous support from more than 100 ambassadors, who are all prominent leaders of business and professional bodies in Hong Kong. Their concerted efforts will lead to a new era of opportunity for both Hong Kong tourism and the city’s multi-sector development. We are confident we will achieve further success with our ambassadors and make Hong Kong the world’s meeting place for business events.

Artificial intelligence and robotics experts from Hong Kong, Mainland China and around the world are expected to head to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for the GBAAIR Conference, the first large-scale conference of its kind to take place physically in the Greater Bay Area since the pandemic.

The conference will be hosted by the Hong Kong Society of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, in tandem with the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), which is part of the HKCA programme.

HKPC’s chairman Willy Lin Sun Mo said: “Playing host to this event will underscore Hong Kong’s first-rate research capability in artificial intelligence and robotics, which has been identified as one of the key pillars of the city’s innovation economy and a prime part of the National Key Technologies Research and Development Programme.”

Meanwhile, the HKTB worked together with the IEEE Hong Kong Section, and its chairman of the joint chapter on circuits & systems and communications Edward Cheung, to bring TENCON to Hong Kong.

The high-profile technology and engineering event will gather more than 1,000 cross-disciplinary professionals, academicians, industry leaders, researchers and students.

Paulina Chan, chair of the IEEE Hong Kong Section and the general chair of TENCON Conference, said: “We’re excited to host TENCON, an IEEE flagship conference in Hong Kong again in 2022. Hong Kong is an ideal destination for technology-business integration and an international hub for hosting professional conferences in Asia. We had a great experience working with the HKTB. I am confident that the upcoming TENCON will reach new horizons in global participation, anticipating multidisciplinary professional profiles and dynamic exchanges among international attendance.”

Asian incentive planners see hope as regional destinations slowly reopen

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Langkawi recently opened its borders to domestic travellers from all over Malaysia; Kilim Geoforest Park in Langkawi pictured

Incentive trips took a major hit during the pandemic, but cautious optimism is brimming on the back of partial reopenings, such as Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane with Germany, Thailand’s sandbox schemes, Langkawi’s domestic travel resumption, and private sector appeals in Indonesia.

Victor Mogilev, group director of sales, Diethelm Travel Group, expects incentive trips to return to domestic destinations in 2022, with possible international movement towards 2H2022 should more travel bubbles be formed between countries.

Langkawi recently opened its borders to domestic travellers from all over Malaysia; Kilim Geoforest Park in Langkawi pictured

“The faith of the industry will rely heavily on the governance and clarity of international travel regulations and adherence to minimum health standards to travel and cross borders,” he added.

Asian DMCs share similar sentiments. Singapore’s SingExpress Travel reported that deferred RFPs are being revived for 2022, while Vietnam’s Luxperia DMC has an incentive client looking to revive travel plans for 1Q2022 after cancelling the trip in May 2021.

Marie Anne Palces, Luxperia Collective’s director product and marketing, said: “For now, it remains domestic (Vietnam) only.”

She expects Singapore groups to lead market recovery for north and south-east Asian destinations, with a preference for “Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand’s Phuket, Cambodia, and then Vietnam”.

Incentive travel is also likely to rebound with specific interests in mind. According to the Incentive Travel Industry Index (ITII) 2020 survey conducted end-2020, there is a strong preference for luxury travel, cultural experiences, CSR and flexible activities instead of golf, teambuilding and mandatory events. Destinations and suppliers that satisfy these interests could benefit.

Minor Hotels’ Anantara brand, which has a strong presence in Thailand, the Maldives and Bali, is among the optimists.

Marion Walsh Hedouin, vice president public relations & communications, said: “We see strong potential for small, high-end incentives such as private buyouts and leadership retreats. City destinations
will remain popular, but there will be heightened interest in resort destinations which boast beautiful outdoor settings and ample space, for instance, in Vietnam and Malaysia.”

Other DMCs suggested breaking a group into smaller sub-groups and offering each a different itinerary. Dine-arounds, popular some 20 years ago, may well return under current size limitations.

However, small-group programmes cost more per head, longhaul air travel and resort accommodation are also expensive, and sudden travel suspensions could scuttle even the best-made plan.

An interesting idea is individual incentive travel, reminiscent of the late 1980 and 1990s, when award winners could bring a partner, akin to a staycation. This is still available in the US but hasn’t caught on in Asia. Tiered rewards offer a choice of destinations, flights, hotels and activities. Although such programmes forego the group bonding, camaraderie, awards celebration and entertainment that typify group trips, sponsor companies save on work disruption, administrative and venue-hosting costs while recipients enjoy flexibility and quality time with their partners.

Two top achievers in insurance and health supplement sales agreed that individual incentive travel could be suitable before ‘big bash’ events return. During the pandemic, they’ve been receiving cash rewards, shopping vouchers and home-delivered gourmet meals instead of incentive trips.

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