The Korea MICE Bureau has put forth a brand new digital marketing campaign highlighting its Korea Unique Venue programme, in an effort to showcase Korea’s business events venues virtually to a global audience.
The new promotional video combines the unique charms of the venues in collaboration with dancers to highlight a specific mood and feel for each venue. For example, Busan Cinema Center transforms into a stage for ballet, while street dancers take over the tracks at Inje Speedium.
Busan Cinema Center
In addition, Korea MICE Bureau has also launched a new Korea Unique Venue microsite, which provides convenient access to information on each Unique Venue, including photos, rental facility information, service and equipment and more.
Started in 2018, the Korea Unique Venue programme comprises a list of recommended business events venues in Korea, selected based on their ability to host business events while offering unconventional settings for memorable experiences.
These locations showcase Korea’s rich history, colourful culture and tradition, and the selection includes cruise ships, traditional folk villages to national museums. The programme now comprises 39 venues, up from the initial starting list of 20.
GBTA poll shows non-essential business travel gaining but
critical functions for business continue to be impacted by global travel restrictions
More companies are reporting a willingness and actual return to business travel, with domestic travel taking the lead. However, government restrictions on international travel continue to hinder the ability for companies to conduct key business functions, according to the latest poll from The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).
This latest poll shows a 12% increase compared to last month in companies opening travel and fewer companies suspending or cancelling all travel. Domestic business travel is now widely allowed and corporate bookings and travel spend continues to rise month on month. And three in four (77%) GBTA members and stakeholders feel their employees are ‘willing’ or ‘very willing’ to travel for business in the current environment.
GBTA poll shows non-essential business travel gaining but critical functions for business continue to be impacted by global restrictions
However, half (52%) of GBTA respondents report that government policies and restrictions relating to international business travel continue to impact their companies’ ability to conduct important business functions such as networking, business prospecting, planning and sales meetings.
“There is clearly an appetite to resume non-essential business travel and in-person meetings to promote collaboration, networking and business opportunities. And interestingly, it doesn’t appear that cost savings are necessarily a key driver in waiting to get travellers back out on the road. However, government policies and restrictions on international travel continue to hinder progress in pursuing activities so important to conducting business,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA.
Indicators show strong demand for business travel’s return OPTIMISM STEADY. GBTA poll respondents continue to be optimistic about the industry’s path to recovery. Half (54%) report they feel more optimistic compared to a month ago whereas two in five (40%) say they feel the same. Only six per cent say they feel more pessimistic about the industry’s path to recovery.
WILLINGNESS TO TRAVEL. Three in four (77%) GBTA members and stakeholders feel their employees are ‘willing’ or ‘very willing’ to travel for business in the current environment. The remaining members feel their employees are not willing (4%), are neutral (12%) or are unsure (7%) of their willingness to travel for business. And the desire to serve their customers is a key driver, with greater willingness to travel for sales and account management (59%) and service trips (56%).
DOMESTIC DOMINATES. Corporate positions concerning business travel vary. And GBTA respondents report that 57% of non-essential domestic business trips are usually or sometimes allowed, compared to 26% for non-essential international business trips.
GETTING BACK OUT THERE. Of the companies that suspended most domestic business trips, nine in 10 plan to resume domestic travel in the near future or are considering resuming domestic travel but have no definite plans. Three in 10 plan to resume international travel within one to three months and, half are considering resuming international travel soon but have no definite plans. One in 10 do not plan to resume international business travel in the near future.
Restrictions continue to hinder international travel and hence business functions Government policies and restrictions relating to international business travel continue to impact GBTA member companies and their ability to carry out important business functions. Over half (52%) of GBTA members and stakeholders report that networking, business prospecting (51%) and business planning and strategising (50%) are impacted by these policies.
Respondents based in Europe were more likely to cite the impact of government policies and restrictions on key business functions compared to those based in North America. And it was significantly higher regarding the ability to network, conduct sales meetings and train or develop employees.
Business travel spending, bookings and the bottom line Seven in 10 (72%) of those surveyed report their company’s business travel spending increased ‘somewhat’ to ‘a lot’ in June 2021 compared to the prior month, whereas one in five (20%) report spending remained ‘the same.’ Less than one in 10 (6%) report travel spend decreased or are unsure (1%).
Among those respondents who note their June 2021 travel spend increased from May, the average increase was 41.8%.
Seven in 10 (70%) suppliers report their bookings from corporate customers have increased from the previous week, whereas one in four (27%) report their bookings have remained the same from the previous week. Less than one in 10 (3%) report their bookings have decreased.
Changing priorities for travel programs as safety remains paramount
Over half (57%) of GBTA respondents are usually or sometimes allowed to conduct non-essential domestic business travel. Two in 10 are rarely allowed (20%) or not allowed (23%).
Non-essential international business travel continues to lag, with one in four (26%) GBTA members and stakeholders usually allowed or sometimes allowed to conduct non-essential international business travel.
Non-essential domestic business travel that can help generate revenue for the company are the key reasons for company travel requests. Seven in 10 of sales/ account management trips are usually or sometimes allowed. Similarly, seven in10 service trips are usually or sometimes allowed. Over half of non-essential trips are for sales, account management and service trips.
Seven in 10 (69%) of GBTA respondents believe that risk management and duty of care are more important than before the pandemic.
Less than two in 10f respondents indicated their employees will need to be vaccinated before travelling for business (18%) or meet with clients and customers face-to-face (16%), compared to more than half who will not. A quarter of respondents do not know their company’s vaccination policies and whether they will be required to be vaccinated for business travel or to meet with clients and customers face-to-face.
Flexible working continues as employees return to office Almost half (45%) of respondents report their company’s office(s) have re-opened but working in the office is optional. One in five (19%) say their company’s office(s) have reopened and most/all employees are required to work from the office at least one day per week. Just one-quarter (27%) report their office has not reopened and most (if not all) employees work from home.
Respondents based in Europe (53%) are more likely than those in North America (42%) to report their company’s office(s) have re-opened and most or all employees currently can choose to work from the office or work from home.
Half (52%) of GBTA members and stakeholders expect most employees will work from the office some days and work from home other days when offices fully re-open. Fewer expect most employees will return to the office full-time on most days (18%), employees will make the decision themselves (13%) or most employees will work from home most days (9%). Fewer respondents report they expect employees will have other working arrangements (6%) or are unsure (3%).
Respondents based in Europe (64%) are more likely than those based in North America (49%) to expect most employees will work from the office some days and work from home other days.
EventX, an Asia-based virtual event management company, has closed a US$10 million series B funding co-led by HTC, a virtual reality (VR) leading company, and Gaocheng Capital, a top China-based private equity fund focused on enterprise software and technology-enabled services sectors.
EventX’s capabilities include support for events that involve Mainland China attendees where its unique design architecture overcomes internet firewalls to enable the service of any cross-region events.
EventX co-founder and CEO Sum Wong
EventX has company contracts with hundreds of the world’s biggest events industry players and brands including Alibaba, PwC, GL Events, Informa, Reed Exhibition, Yahoo, government departments, and universities. Its year-on-year growth stands at over 800 per cent, and has served over five million satisfied attendees in over 20,000 online, hybrid and offline events.
EventX has also agreed to a strategic partnership with HTC VIVE, a company that has made great strides in its VR research and development.
Through the alliance, both companies will be working together to reinvent the virtual event experience with the help of VR, as well as integrate technology into core capabilities. The partnership will soon release a virtual event lite platform and opening it to NGOs, SMEs and startups to register and organise virtual events for free.
Joseph Lin, president of VIVEPORT said in a statement: “VR has the power to improve the world. At HTC VIVE we strive to create the tools to expedite VR adoption — using not only our VR devices but also computers, tablets, and smartphones — and interact effectively. The strategic alliance with EventX illustrates HTC VIVE’s continuous efforts in providing people and enterprises with the tools to meet, socialise, and learn in VR and beyond. Massive possibilities and enthusiasm can be seen in this partnership to bring people closer together without any geographical boundaries.”
“It is certain that virtual workspaces and virtual events will become the new norm. The creation of this alliance will result in a deep level of integration between our own expertise and HTC VIVE’s groundbreaking work in the VR space. This collaboration will result in EventX bringing virtual and hybrid event experiences to a brand new level of immersion and interactivity,” EventX co-founder and CEO Sum Wong added.
EventX also plans to invest heavily in products and engineering for leading the recovery of the events industry during the current pandemic, which will not only stabilise and solidify existing virtual event services but carve out new spaces and opportunities for the marketing and event industry.
In this hybrid world, data is key – and first-party data is mission critical to many businesses
The impact of Covid-19 has transformed many industries, spurring companies to create new value propositions and evolve how they deliver services and interact with customers through digital solutions.
The exhibitions industry, an industry based on face-to-face connection, has been no different. In fact, it’s one of the industries that has had to adapt the quickest to keep the communities that rely on their platforms connected in the wake of an isolating pandemic crisis.
Now, exhibitions and tradeshows are being seen as a beacon of hope for small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMEs) – which make up over 80 per cent of the industry’s fee-paying customers – as governments look to stimulate economic growth and recovery. But the way connections are being made may have changed forever – and I believe, it’s for the better.
In this hybrid world, data is key – and first-party data is critical to many businesses
Digital: In it for the longhaul
Here in Asia, we were the first region to get hit by the pandemic, and the first to see the light at the end of the tunnel. At Informa Markets, we have successfully run in-person tradeshows in mainland China and Japan since last summer, as well as in Taiwan, Thailand, and India.
The feedback from business owners who have participated is that the power of face-to-face is integral to the way they do business. Integral to rebuilding disrupted supply chains. And integral to building new business relationships.
However, in almost all these areas, travel restrictions have remained in place – and so it’s been practical for us to organise local events, serving local communities, instead of the large-scale international tradeshows we are accustomed to.
Technology has enabled us to mimic that experience, extending the reach beyond the showfloor to international audiences eager to return to connective commercial experiences. And, based on what our customers are telling us about the success of that model, the digital elements that run alongside our physical events look to become an important part of our customers’ future marketing mix.
The hybrid event model is continually evolving, but the basic premise is that buyers and sellers have the option to participate in-person at the show – or online, connecting with one another virtually before, during and after the event – or both.
This varies market by market, depending on the needs of individual communities. It might be through content-rich virtual event programmes, matchmaking services, sampling services or full-scale online marketplaces where transactions can take place. Equally, it can be a mix of these with each offering its own value proposition and bringing unique benefits.
Data: Helping us intelligently meet customer needs
The disruption the pandemic brought to the exhibitions industry was genuinely unprecedented and it made us go back to the drawing board – starting with a better understanding of what our customers really need.
It’s all well and good creating new ways for buyers and sellers to connect – but if they’re not the connections they’re looking for, then we’ve failed. We introduced non-financial key performance indicators (KPIs) around customer engagement with our virtual events and other online platforms, to help us understand what our customers want – and whether we’re delivering the value they expect.
In this hybrid world, data is key – and first-party data is mission-critical to many businesses. For us, it’s no different, and so we have bolstered our expertise in data to become better at capturing behavioural insights to profile users, enabling us to deliver a more personalised experience.
Increasingly, our exhibitions are adopting omnichannel marketing strategies – and they too need to manage data more effectively to track and nurture leads.
Moving faster forward on sustainability
Informa Markets is not alone in taking this time of disruption to rethink how we can improve upon our environmental impacts. We are working across the industry to see how exhibitions can serve as a model for green initiatives, through more sustainable design practices, such as minimising material use, reducing waste and considering indoor air quality.
FasterForward is Informa’s approach to being a sustainable business and taking tangible action to champion sustainable practice across our business and industry. Our goal is to reduce our carbon and waste footprint to ultimately be carbon neutral by 2025 and net carbon zero by 2030.
One of the ways Informa Markets in Asia is working to reduce waste is by steadily lowering exhibitor stand heights across the region to reduce the amount of material needed to build them. We are also increasing awareness of a more reusable approach of frame and fabric stands, where all elements of the frame and fabric overlay can be disassembled and reused. At a pilot at our HOFEX event in Hong Kong, for example, this halved production time and reduced the amount of wood used in construction by more than two thirds.
Elsewhere in Asia, at Children-Baby-Maternity Expo, we removed all carpet, saving around 120,000m2 of carpet a year, and our ProPak Asia show in Thailand worked with its venue’s charity partner to donate 40 cubic metres of PET plastic waste from the event, which was then recycled into medical equipment.
Ultimately, we are committed to developing new approaches to set the standard for sustainable events across the region and sharing our experience with others wherever possible.
A better tomorrow
The pandemic posed incredible personal and professional challenges, but if I can find a silver lining, it’s that it created space that allowed us to re-evaluate the value and impact we provide our customers and develop complementary experiences that improve the way we come to market, the way we connect people, and the impacts we have on our communities.
While we see the lasting value in the in-person experience, perhaps now more than ever, we also have built digital and data solutions that improve and extend connections to keep the communities we serve in business, with the right people, year-round. And that will be the differentiator in what keeps our business, and our customers’ businesses, resilient for the long-term.
Margaret Ma Connolly is president & CEO – Asia at Informa Markets. The Informa Markets business in Asia delivers over 300 exhibitions across China, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and South-east Asia, which include Furniture China, Cosmoprof Asia, CPhI India and Food & Hotel Asia.
Connolly joined UBM in 2008, which combined with Informa in 2018. She has extensive experience in managing diverse business portfolios and building cross-cultural high-performing teams.
Northern Territory's capital of Darwin (pictured) will be the stage for the event
The city of Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory has won the hosting rights for the World Conference on Ecological Restoration in 2023.
The conference will be staged at the Darwin Convention Centre, located in the Darwin Waterfront Precinct, and is anticipated to attract between 800 to 1,200 delegates from around the world.
Northern Territory’s capital of Darwin (pictured) will be the stage for the event
The Society of Ecological Restoration has members in more than 70 countries and 13 regional chapters worldwide. It advances the science, practice and policy of ecological restoration to sustain biodiversity, improve resilience in a changing climate, and re-establish an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture.
This global conference was secured as a result of a partnership between a number of organisations – NT Business Events as the dedicated convention bureau unit within the Northern Territory Government’s Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade, Darwin Convention Centre, and local host, the Society of Ecological Restoration Australia.
Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has appointed Peter Gianusso to the role of global chief technology officer, core systems, for the Corporate Division of FCTG.
Gianusso will be responsible for overseeing the central platforms that are leveraged to power the corporate customer product offerings including those at FCM. These include the global data consolidation platform used to collect travel data from all corporate markets, a business rule & automation platform used to improve data quality and travel automation, and centralised traveller profile & API platforms that are leveraged across multiple brands and various product assets.
While new to the travel industry, Gianusso brings with him more than 25 years of technology experience, most recently holding the position of vice president, technology, transformation at Prudential Financial. His background in building shared service environments at globally diversified businesses will fit well into the travel industry ecosystem.
W Hotels, part of Marriott International, has appointed Craig Seaward as general manager of W Sydney, set to open in 3Q2022.
In this role, Seaward is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the final build, including recruitment and training of the 500+ team and managing all pre-launch activity to ensure the hotel opens to the highest standard. Upon opening, he will direct the hotel’s day-to-day operations and be accountable for the commercial and operating strategy and performance of the hotel.
He arrives in Sydney having spent the past 11 years as general manager of W Bali-Seminyak.
The experienced hotelier has spent 25 years working for premium hotels, predominantly with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which merged with Marriott International in 2016. Previously, he held the position of general manager at Sheraton Surabaya Hotel and Towers and Pakuwon Golf and Family Club in East Java, Sheraton Perth and Westin Chosun Beach, Pusan South Korea.
The W Sydney is slated to be the largest W hotel in the world, and will feature 586 rooms, a two-storey rooftop bar, heated infinity pool, spa, gym, 1,110m2 of event space, and several F&B options.
Thirty-four individuals and organisations which have shown extraordinary resilience by adapting their business models and products to the changing landscape of tourism amid the Covid-19 pandemic were recognised at the Singapore Tourism Awards 2021, which took place virtually for the first time on Friday (July 23).
Organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), this year’s ceremony was graced by minister for trade and industry Gan Kim Yong. There were 77 finalists nominated across the award categories of Experience Excellence, Enterprise Excellence and Customer Service.
Marina Bay Sands bagged the Outstanding Event Venue Experience award
Xperience DMC’s Fascinating World of Aviation PLUS Exclusive Hangar tour was one of two winners of the Outstanding Tour Experience under the Experience Excellence (Leisure) award category, for presenting Singapore’s unique aviation history with a special focus on Seletar Aerospace Park.
The other winner was Tribe Tours, whose Chinatown Murders tour was recognised for its use of gamefication and storytelling to bring a precinct tour to life.
Messe Berlin and Milken Institute Asia Center were both named Outstanding Event Organiser under the Experience Excellence (MICE) award category. The former was recognised for testing the hybrid event prototype for safe business events with TravelRevive, while the latter for combining virtual and holographic components with an in-person event at the Milken Institute Asia Summit 2020.
Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) was one of two winners for the Outstanding Marketing Idea under the Enterprise Excellence award category, which recognised businesses that displayed agility and innovation with new marketing campaigns to engage audiences despite the challenging environment.
SDC’s Virtual Sentosa campaign allowed homebound travellers to digitally explore Sentosa island through Sentosa Crossing, a digital reimagination of the holiday island, its own version of the popular Nintendo Switch game, Animal Crossing. The campaign became Sentosa’s top-performing campaign in 2020.
The other winner, Skypark Sentosa by AJ Hackett (Bungy Holdings Singapore), was recognised for its No Scream Challenge campaign, where participants who resisted a scream got their next jump free, and those who screamed received an ice-cream treat.
This year’s ceremony also featured three new awards – Special Award for Sustainability, Special Award for Most Exemplary Employer, and Special Award for Community Care (Business and Individuals). Seven organisations and two individuals were honoured under the Special Recognition category.
Mandai Park Holdings and Resorts World Sentosa were each awarded the Special Award for Sustainability for their contributions to environmental sustainability.
Wildlife Reserves Singapore and Gardens by the Bay were each conferred the Special Award for Most Exemplary Employer for developing and implementing impactful policies to retain and retrain employees during the pandemic.
Marina Bay Sands, Resorts World Sentosa and SATS-Creuers Cruise Services & Star Cruises received the Special Award for Community Care (Business) for stepping up as leaders for positive change during the pandemic and displaying care and selflessness for the wider community.
The entire industry needs to come together to find innovative solutions such as SAF to reduce the carbon footprint created by business travel
Travel programmes are becoming part of organisations’ sustainability strategy
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) has potential to drive the decarbonisation of aviation
Production of SAF needs to scale up to commercially viable levels
The entire industry needs to come together to find innovative solutions such as SAF to reduce the carbon footprint created by travel
Sustainability is now a growing priority for the travel ecosystem, with United Nations Climate Change noting a doubling in the rate at which businesses and local governments are committing to net-zero emissions since the start of the pandemic.
And with aircraft operations contributing to about three per cent of global emissions, an industry-wide strategy – such as looking into sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) – to tackle climate change is critical.
Made up of grains, plants, algae and animal fats, SAFs can reduce a flight’s carbon emissions by up to 80 per cent. However, commercialising this eco-friendly fuel has been difficult due to its high price – three times higher than current aviation fuel – and the lack of manufacturing and fueling infrastructure.
To get around this obstacle, American Express Global Business Travel (AMEX GBT) and Shell Aviation are working on a plan to increase the supply and use of SAF.
“Both Shell Aviation and GBT are respectively having conversations with airlines and corporations about how we can help them tackle their emissions from aviation with SAF. Taking our alliance public allows us to make those conversations more detailed and useful, as well as to further identify any interested parties who would like to work with us,” Jo Sully, vice president APAC, of AMEX GBT, stated.
In terms of corporate take-up, Sully said “customers confirm that sustainability remains a priority for their travel programmes”. In fact, AMEX GBT now advises clients on how they can embed green policies in their programmes by choosing locations that minimise group travel emissions and sourcing from providers that minimise food wastage, food miles and single-use plastic.
In a similar move on June 5’s World Environment Day, CWT partnered with Delta to purchase enough SAF to cover the projected fuel usage from all of CWT’s travellers on Delta.
Richard Johnson, senior director, CWT Solutions Group, shared with TTGmice the motivations behind the initiative: “Sustainable aviation fuel is an exciting development in the (carbon dioxide) reduction arena because it allows organisations to focus less on offsetting and more on overall de-carbonisation. As we see a renewed focus on the environment from within our industry post-pandemic, we are observing a desire to help make SAF achieve the economies of scale necessary to become commonly viable.”
According to Johnson, CWT’s clients are asking how the TMC can help them meet their environmental objectives while achieving compelling ROI for their travel spending.
“Their travel programme is an important part of their sustainability strategy and they want their TMC to provide products and services with an improved environmental impact that will contribute to a more sustainable travel sector,” he revealed.
Sustainability gaining priority among buyers
Travel buyers in the IT and pharmaceutical sectors told TTGmice that attention is now shifting to how travel can play a bigger role in corporate strategy to mitigate climate change and grow sustainably.
Adriana Nainggolan, travel programme manager Asia-Pacific of Autodesk, said: “As a whole, our company has been participating in carbon emission reduction such as using renewable energy and helping our own customers to reduce, reuse and recycle.”
While Autodesk has been offsetting its carbon footprint, Nainggolan said that “the travel programme wasn’t emphasised because the impact might have been considered small”.
But now and for the first time, sustainability will be part of the Autodesk RFP checklist as the company looks to achieve net zero impact. Nainggolan elaborated: “We didn’t have this in our previous RFPs and will include it when we are planning to go out to bid in November this year.”
On how TMCs can support the initiative, she said: “They can support corporate sustainability programmes through reporting and setting their product offering to support a customer’s travel policy. For example, making sure that direct flights are displayed on their booking tool, or hotels listed are only green hotels, etc.”
A corporate travel manager, who has requested anonymity, said he was impressed by United Airlines’ step-by-step sustainability strategy which was shared at the recent United Airlines Asia-Pacific Corporate Forum.
In the presentation, Scott Kirby, CEO, United Airlines, pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100 per cent – without the use of carbon offsets – by 2050.
The corporate travel manager shared: “Efforts in our company so far have been limited to manufacturing activities and the focus has not filtered down to travel and meetings. But we are keeping an eye on it. Although we are not asking our TMCs for travel and meeting sustainability reports yet, it is a matter of time as it is now on the radar.”
Meanwhile, he said his company had migrated to “a 100 per cent hybrid fleet (of cars)” in some cities and will in the next three to four years move to “100 per cent electrification” and a car-sharing model for employees.
Another anonymous corporate travel manager revealed that her company in the US was investing in and working with its preferred airline – which is setting up an oil refinery that turns food waste into SAF – and use more renewable energy. In addition, the company was also working with its airline partner on recycling initiatives.
Airlines pick up SAF focus
For corporate travel managers looking for airline partners that are on the same sustainability page, Emirates and Korean Air may just stand out. Both airlines are exploring viable SAF avenues on their own.
This year, Emirates operated flights powered by SAF from Sweden and Norway where local programmes made it accessible. The airline has also received its first delivery of an A380 that is partially powered by SAF.
While Emirates has yet to partner with a TMC on this initiative, a spokesperson said the airline has taken steps towards emission reduction such as operating fuel-efficient aircraft, and implementing fuel-efficient practices where possible.
Meanwhile, Korean Air recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hyundai Oilbank, a petroleum and refinery company in South Korea, for the manufacturing and usage of SAF. Both companies will be developing a foundation for biofuel manufacturing and its usage; exploring opportunities for SAF usages in the market; raising awareness on SAF; and proposing relevant policies.
Korean Air is no stranger to SAF, for in 2017 it became the first airline in South Korea to mix biofuel extracted from plants such as corn with jet fuel.
Despite the airlines’ grand intentions, SAF availability is a challenge.
The Emirates spokesperson detailed: “In 2019, fewer than 200,000 tonnes of SAF was produced globally, which is less than 0.1 per cent of the jet fuel used by commercial airlines. According to the World Economic Forum report on SAFs, if all SAF projects that have been publicly announced are completed, capacity would only reach one per cent of expected global jet fuel demand in 2030.”
As such, an appropriate mix of incentives and policies will be needed for SAF production to scale up to commercially viable levels. Over the next decade, the development of ‘power-to-liquid’ fuels, which are made from hydrogen and carbon dioxide, will give a huge boost to the supply of SAF, the spokesperson noted. – Additional reporting by Caroline Boey
What does recovery look like for the Asia Pacific (APAC) events industry? Our latest global survey, the “Global Barometer” forecasts above average growth in the exhibition industry in APAC for 2021. Globally, we expect exhibition revenues to grow by 106 per cent in 2021 compared to 2020. For APAC, we expect 121 per cent growth.
Compared to 2019, this will be a return to around 60 per cent of revenues compared to 2019 for APAC, slightly ahead of the global average of 58 per cent.
There is a general consensus that, in major parts of the world, the industry can reach pre-pandemic levels again by 2024 – pending further pandemic developments.
Right now, governments and stakeholders need to understand the systemic role that exhibitions and business events have to play in the post-pandemic recovery. As organised meetings, tradeshows are not generic mass gatherings – they can be managed safely in everyone’s interests, and events professionals are well versed in doing that, based on global guidance and good practices that organisations like UFI have developed.
Governments can activate exhibitions and business events as the fastest of fast tracks for economic recovery – as the industry builds and operates the marketplaces and meeting places that every industry, every sector needs to recover from the impact of the pandemic.
What should the various countries do to get their government’s help to build confidence in the exhibitions industry again? Vaccinations and testing are key elements. We need globally harmonised procedures on how to document these – the European Union’s Digital Vaccination Certificate is such an initiative. It reopens travel across the continent and makes it easy for citizens to show their vaccination status as they enter events.
In addition, as stated above, it is key that the local/regional/national health authorities clear exhibitions and business events, agreeing on proven health & safety frameworks. Two examples for those are the “UFI Global Framework for reopening exhibitions” and the “All Secure Standard”. These have been the blueprint for national regulations in countries like Italy, the UK, or Spain. How much has the pandemic changed a customer’s value and expectations of exhibitions? If anything, it has proven and reiterated the value of meeting face to face. In our “Global Recovery Insights” research done with Explori, 86 per cent of both visitors and exhibitors at digital trade shows declare that the face-to-face format is superior compared to a digital-only event.
As show floors reopen around the world, we see especially small and medium enterprises return to the shows with urgency. For them, this is the dominant sales channel, and accordingly, their key expectations are focused around the “trade” in “tradeshow”.
What are some major trends expected to shape the exhibitions industry over the next five years? Initially, we expect that a lot of focus will be on the traditional core function of the tradeshow – to be the place where business is done, where orders are written, where deals are signed.
Beyond that, the pandemic has accelerated developments that we have seen pre-2020: A regionalisation from one global show into a portfolio of regional shows under the same brand around the world; a growing number of digital products and services to support the attendees at the physical event a lot of investments into sustainability and low carbon to carbon-neutral events productions.
A new emphasis will be put on connecting the physical tradeshows and business events with year-long offers to support the business success of the communities that a trade show is serving – a lot of this will be digital, but also through focused local and regional events throughout the year.
What are some of UFI’s initiatives that are helping with industry recovery? We continue to operate and update a designated Covid-19 web presence at www.ufi.org/coronavirus. We were the first MICE industry association to do so, to our knowledge. The page is constantly being updated with new material once it becomes available.
In addition, we have repurposed the UFI Blog to carry announcements and core messages from UFI member associations around the world, as well as case studies around events that are taking place and their production.
Through the European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA), we drive ongoing advocacy work in Brussels. In the US, UFI joined the newly formed Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), which is setting up an office in Washington, DC, to likewise provide ongoing advocacy work for the industry on a daily basis.
Core UFI activities and materials on the issue include:
Research:
• Global Assessment of Covid-19’s economic impact on tradeshows and exhibitions, globally and by region for the full year 2020
• Good Practice Guide: Addressing Covid-19 Requirements for Re-Opening Business Events (Third edition in March 2021)
• Good Practice Guide: Convention/Exhibition Centers as Temporary Vaccination Centres
• Case studies on shows taking place
Advocacy:
• UFI Global Framework for the Reopening of Exhibitions and B2B events
• Global market reopening tracker
• Overview of the different Government Support Programmes for the industry by region
• Position Papers with EEIA (Europe) and ECA (USA)
What prospects do you see in the mid-to-long term for the business events industry? In the short term, as the industry restarts, we need to ensure that supply chains remain intact, and that the ecosystem of skilled service providers of the industry can be reactivated well. Re-skilling and upskilling will be key here.
Mid- to long-term, we expect the sector to not only return to pre-Covid levels, but to significantly grow beyond it. Future growth will be driven by the new value we create and the benefits we provide in between our face-to-face events for the communities and industries that we serve.
We will also evolve as an industry around the challenge to combat climate change – bringing people together to work together and to trade together is the most energy-efficient way compared to decentralised travel and countless one-to-one meetings, or to energy-intensive digital processes.
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Margaret Ma Connolly is president & CEO – Asia at Informa Markets. The Informa Markets business in Asia delivers over 300 exhibitions across China, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and South-east Asia, which include Furniture China, Cosmoprof Asia, CPhI India and Food & Hotel Asia.
Thirty-four individuals and organisations which have shown extraordinary resilience by adapting their business models and products to the changing landscape of tourism amid the Covid-19 pandemic were recognised at the Singapore Tourism Awards 2021, which took place virtually for the first time on Friday (July 23).
Organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), this year’s ceremony was graced by minister for trade and industry Gan Kim Yong. There were 77 finalists nominated across the award categories of Experience Excellence, Enterprise Excellence and Customer Service.
Xperience DMC’s Fascinating World of Aviation PLUS Exclusive Hangar tour was one of two winners of the Outstanding Tour Experience under the Experience Excellence (Leisure) award category, for presenting Singapore’s unique aviation history with a special focus on Seletar Aerospace Park.
The other winner was Tribe Tours, whose Chinatown Murders tour was recognised for its use of gamefication and storytelling to bring a precinct tour to life.
Messe Berlin and Milken Institute Asia Center were both named Outstanding Event Organiser under the Experience Excellence (MICE) award category. The former was recognised for testing the hybrid event prototype for safe business events with TravelRevive, while the latter for combining virtual and holographic components with an in-person event at the Milken Institute Asia Summit 2020.
Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) was one of two winners for the Outstanding Marketing Idea under the Enterprise Excellence award category, which recognised businesses that displayed agility and innovation with new marketing campaigns to engage audiences despite the challenging environment.
SDC’s Virtual Sentosa campaign allowed homebound travellers to digitally explore Sentosa island through Sentosa Crossing, a digital reimagination of the holiday island, its own version of the popular Nintendo Switch game, Animal Crossing. The campaign became Sentosa’s top-performing campaign in 2020.
The other winner, Skypark Sentosa by AJ Hackett (Bungy Holdings Singapore), was recognised for its No Scream Challenge campaign, where participants who resisted a scream got their next jump free, and those who screamed received an ice-cream treat.
This year’s ceremony also featured three new awards – Special Award for Sustainability, Special Award for Most Exemplary Employer, and Special Award for Community Care (Business and Individuals). Seven organisations and two individuals were honoured under the Special Recognition category.
Mandai Park Holdings and Resorts World Sentosa were each awarded the Special Award for Sustainability for their contributions to environmental sustainability.
Wildlife Reserves Singapore and Gardens by the Bay were each conferred the Special Award for Most Exemplary Employer for developing and implementing impactful policies to retain and retrain employees during the pandemic.
Marina Bay Sands, Resorts World Sentosa and SATS-Creuers Cruise Services & Star Cruises received the Special Award for Community Care (Business) for stepping up as leaders for positive change during the pandemic and displaying care and selflessness for the wider community.