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”.
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
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 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.
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.”
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.
Posch: The industry has to go with the flow and think about all the things that could be done better
Virtual meetings have proven their worth throughout the pandemic, by way of expanding content access to more individuals – up to 50 per cent more in some meetings – and offering interactive experiences made possible by continuous technology acceleration in the events space.
In sharing his observations during the IT&CM Asia Knowledge Session, titled Trends 2021 and Beyond, Mathias Posch, immediate past president and chair of training academy, IAPCO, and president, International Conference Services also pointed out that for planners to bring back in-person events successfully, they will need to play up advantages of such formats.
Posch: the industry has to go with the flow and think about all the things that could be done better
This is especially critical when registration fees for virtual events have fallen against in-person events, and when in-person delegates are made to tackle Covid-19-related attendance hurdles, such as pre-departure testing, on-arrival testing, and even quarantine.
To score good attendance, in-person events would need to be better “curated” and “exclusive”, he opined.
For example, Posch related a possible meeting idea in the field of earthquake engineering. Organisers could bring delegates out to Sendai, Japan to see how the tsunami and earthquake had affected the city. It would make a “unique experience that you cannot have anywhere else in the world in that specific field”, he remarked.
Exclusive networking sessions, exchanges and workshops should also be arranged for the delegate so as to make the trip worth their while.
Posch said: “It comes down to meeting people that are relevant, be it for research collaborations, or those working in a similar field. We need to make an effort to connect these like-minded people, to create places where these individuals feel like they belong to something, and can contribute in a way.”
Meetings suppliers and governments must also extend a flexible hand to help meeting planners better cope with the sudden changes that are now common in planning events amid a pandemic. Flexibility would ensure event groups are not stuck with a large bill should the unforeseen occur, Posch advised.
From left: MP Singapore's Jason Ng; Comexposium's Elaine Chia; and Singapore Tourism Board's Poh Chi Chuan. On the screen: Comexposium's Eric Lenoir; SILMO International's Jerome Colin
SILMO International, MP Singapore, and the Singapore Tourism Board signed MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) to officially launch SILMO Singapore.
SILMO Singapore will be the Asian flagship edition of SILMO Paris, an international B2B eyewear and lifestyle tradeshow recognised as the global launchpad for new designs, collections, and technologies in the eyewear industry.
From left: MP Singapore’s Jason Ng; Comexposium’s Elaine Chia; and Singapore Tourism Board’s Poh Chi Chuan. On the screen: Comexposium’s Eric Lenoir; SILMO International’s Jerome Colin
Licenced by the SILMO Association in Paris, SILMO Singapore will showcase the top global brands and content of SILMO Paris, as well as major optics and eyewear brands from across South-east Asia. SILMO Singapore will also feature curated content and platforms for networking and knowledge exchange between industry leaders, with a particular focus on regional trends and interests.
The first edition of the new show will run over three days at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre from April 12-14, 2023.
The MoU spans three years, and SILMO will be returning to Singapore for subsequent editions in 2024 and 2025.
SILMO has had a presence in the South-east Asian region since 2018, with the hosting of the ASEAN Optometric Congress along with an international tradeshow in Bangkok.
Virtual events platform GEVME has launched a brand new Digital Event Management course, conducted in collaboration with Nanyang Polytechnic’s Center for Industry and Lifelong Learning.
This course comes as part of NYP’s ongoing educational partnership with GlobalSign.in (GEVME’s parent company) to nurture Singapore’s business events industry capabilities and foster the next generation of event managers.
A screenshot from the course website
The two day-long course will be held on October 21-22, 09.00 to 17.00 at Nanyang Polytechnic. All Singaporeans aged 25 and above can use their SkillsFuture Credit to subsidise the course fee. Participants will be awarded a certificate upon completion of the course.
Targeted at current and aspiring event professionals, meeting planners and marketing executives, the Digital Event Management course will equip attendees with fundamental skills needed to get started in the emerging field of virtual and hybrid events. The curriculum will cover key learning areas including but not limited to:
● Managing virtual event stakeholders
● Designing a virtual venue
● Providing value to sponsors and exhibitors
● Fundamental digital skills like live streaming and data privacy
● Event monitoring and post-event reporting, and more
According to the whitepaper “Reimagining Business Events – Through Covid-19 and Beyond” by STB, PCMA and UFI, as the global events sector experiences accelerated digitalisation, multiple facets of the business event industry must transform: reimagining the business models, the delegate experience – and the talents and capabilities of those building and executing events.
“As the events industry reinvents itself, the role of the event manager will evolve. Alongside core skills in event management, the digital event managers of the future will need to develop flexible and diversified skill sets to manage new multi-modal event formats,” said Veemal Gungadin, CEO of GEVME.
“In developing this course, we gathered the insights and best practices of event professionals, our partners and other industry actors – to give learners a comprehensive overview of the skills they need to effectively successfully plan, produce and measure the results of virtual events.”
A hospitality veteran with three decades of industry experience in Asia and Europe, Edward E. Snoeks, will take charge of the new Meliá Chiang Mai scheduled to open by end-2021.
Snoeks joins Meliá Chiang Mai after managing the pre-opening of Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok & The Residences and working as both Thailand’s regional general manager and general manager of The Okura Prestige Bangkok.
Previously, he was the general manager of Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Causeway Bay and vice president of hotel operations at Hong Kong Parkview Hotel Services.
His work in Asia goes back to 1994 when he worked for The Regent Hong Kong’s F&B department. Snoeks’ hotel management experience also includes stints at the Marco Polo Hotels in Hong Kong, the Mutiara Hotel Kuala Lumpur and Le Royal Meridien Baan Taling Ngam on Koh Samui.
Comprising a 22-floor tower fronted by an adjoining seven-floor podium building, Meliá Chiang Mai will feature a host of facilities including two restaurants, two bars, two lounges, a YHI Spa with seven treatment rooms, a fully-equipped fitness centre, swimming pool, ballroom and four additional meeting spaces.
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