Seoul will be hosting the Council and Committee Meeting of International Actuarial Association (IAA) 2021, the first time the IAA meeting will be held in South Korea.
The IAA conference will bring 400 actuary experts from all over the globe from October 10-15 next year. The twice-yearly meeting is where the board and committee members discuss and decide on pending issues in the field of actuary, and share them via forums and seminars.
Seoul set to welcome its first IAA conference next year
Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) and the Institute of Actuaries of Korea have been working together to host the IAA 2021 meeting in Seoul. Letter of intent proposals, sponsoring site inspections are some of the efforts that helped turn the vote in Seoul’s favour.
The size of the insurance industry in South Korea is one of the biggest in the world (seventh in terms of insurance premium), however, the actuary field of South Korea is not as well-known. Given this, the upcoming IAA meeting in Seoul will be an opportunity to raise the global reputation of South Korea in the insurance industry.
Kim Eun Mi, STO’s director of MICE marketing team, said that he is pleased with the win in the middle of the pandemic, as this also sends a hopeful message to the local MICE industry during a time of many cancellations or postponements.
According to the International Meetings Statistics Report released by Union of International Associations last September, Seoul hosted 609 international conferences in total last year, ranking third in a survey of global cities where most international conferences have been held. This is a 39 per cent increase from the previous year.
The International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) staged its first entirely in-person conference on September 19-20 since Covid-19 restrictions came into effect in March this year.
Delivered for medical education provider, HealthCert Education, the venue hosted more than 125 doctors and health professionals who were there to Education certificate courses and workshops.
EventSafe framework in action at the ICC Sydney
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The conference was delivered in line with ICC Sydney’s industry-leading EventSafe Operating Framework while meeting the current NSW Government 150 person limit per event.
ICC Sydney CEO, Geoff Donaghy, said the event marks an important milestone on the business events industry’s road to recovery following the impact of COVID-19.
“The ICC Sydney team have worked tirelessly to develop a rigorous framework to allow us to begin confidently running in-person events… Through ICC Sydney’s EventSafe protocols, we can continue to bring people together and provide clients with the opportunity to meet with peace of mind that the utmost safety measures are in place.”
ICC Sydney activated various components of its ‘EventSafe’ operating protocols. This included a streamlined event arrival process, extensive hygiene measures including hand sanitiser stations, contactless solutions for payment, regular cleaning of common touchpoints and use of acrylic screens. Additionally, each meeting room was set up to accommodate physical distancing of one person per four square metres and allow for seating to be set 1.5 metres apart.
Founder and CEO of HealthCert Education, Paul Elmslie said delegates were impressed with the safety provisions and quality of the event delivery for the highly practical workshops.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with our experience with ICC Sydney for the HealthCert Education certificate courses and we look forward to collaborating on the upcoming events in our calendar.”
From left: PPHG’s Cinn Tan, Choe Peng Sum and Wee Wei Ling; alongside SingHealth’s Fong Kok Yong and Audrey Lau at the voucher presentation ceremony with SingHealth at Academia
Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) officially presented 25,000 complimentary stay vouchers to a trio of national healthcare groups on Thursday in honour of Singapore’s healthcare heroes’ dedication to the nation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a tribute to their sacrifices in combating the virus, healthcare workers are invited to enjoy a respite with their loved ones at any of the group’s six hotels in Singapore from December 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.
From left: PPHG’s Cinn Tan, Choe Peng Sum and Wee Wei Ling; alongside SingHealth’s Fong Kok Yong and Audrey Lau at the voucher presentation ceremony with SingHealth at Academia
PPHG CEO Choe Peng Sum presented these complimentary stays vouchers to representatives from SingHealth, National Healthcare Group (NHG) and National University Health System (NUHS) at three separate ceremonial events.
Participating properties include Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, Parkroyal Collection Pickering, Parkroyal on Beach Road, Parkroyal on Kitchener Road, Pan Pacific Singapore and Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Beach Road.
Each stay comes with a la carte buffet breakfasts, no additional charge for children under 12 years of age and discounted rates for dining at all hotel-operated restaurants and spa services at St. Gregory.
Beyond their stay, healthcare workers will also be given preferential room rates and a complimentary fast-track to the next elite tier in the Pan Pacific Discovery loyalty programme, to enjoy more privileges during future stays and dining at the group’s 50 properties across 29 cities.
Called HERO (Healthcare Employees Recognition & Ovation), the initiative also pays tribute to all healthcare workers in Singapore, who will be given preferential rates when they stay at any of the group’s hotels or serviced suites in Singapore, along with 50 per cent savings for dining and 30 per cent on spa treatments during their stay from December 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. Healthcare workers can also enjoy 30 per cent savings when they dine at any of the group-operated 20 restaurants and bars in Singapore.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened the InterContinental Residences Jakarta Pondok Indah, the first residences from its luxury brand, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in the country.
The 193-apartment InterContinental Residences Jakarta Pondok Indah is connected to the five-star InterContinental Jakarta Pondok Indah hotel. This gives residents access to the hotel’s range of facilities such as a 24-hour fitness centre, steam room, sauna and outdoor swimming pool.
One-bedroom apartment
Residences come fully-furnished with kitchen and a separate dining area, and would be ideal for long-term business guests working in Indonesia’s capital.
The residences is located within minutes of healthcare facilities, international schools, Pondok Indah’s large array of shopping malls with upmarket boutiques and over 200 dining options, and golf course.
A TTGmice feature on the role event dining functions play in facilitating networking, achieving sustainability goals and delivering unique destination experiences has scored this year’s PATA Gold Award for Business Article.
The feature, titled Food For The Soul, was produced by TTG Asia Media’s editorial staff, Rachel AJ Lee, Adelaine Ng and S Puvaneswary. It was published in the July 2019 issue of the monthly magazine.
TTGmice July 2019’s Food for the Soul feature won the PATA Gold Award 2020 for Business Article
This is TTG Asia Media’s seventh PATA Gold Award for Business Article in over the past decade. TTGmice has scored in this category in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2018 previously; TTG Asia Luxury was recognised in this category in 2016.
This year’s PATA Gold Awards ceremony was conducted online in the afternoon of September 24, as part of Virtual PATA Travel Mart. A total of 23 organisations and individuals were recognised this year.
PATA presented 20 Gold Awards to such organisations as Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts; Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka; Designated Areas for Sustainable Development Administration; Kazakh Tourism National Company JSC; Macao Government Tourism Office; Mekong River Tourism; Outrigger Hospitality Group; Sampan Travel; SriLankan Airlines; Taylor’s University; and Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Kerala Tourism, India received the PATA Gold Award 2020 Grand Title Winner in Marketing for Education and Training for its Human by Nature Print Campaign.
The Grand Title Winner in Sustainability was presented to YAANA Ventures, Thailand, for the Anurak Community Lodge.
The Grand Title Winner in Human Capital Development was bestowed to MGM China, Macao, China for its Unleashing Greatness – MGM’s Human Capital Development Initiative.
Commenting on the virtual initiative, PATA CEO Mario Hardy said: “This was the first year that we announced the winners live and it was an absolute pleasure to celebrate their accomplishments during the Online PATA Gold Awards Presentation.”
“The achievements of this year’s winners will hopefully inspire and encourage our industry to create new responsible and sustainable initiatives as we look towards recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
The Macao Government Tourist Office remains the event’s partner and sponsor, as it has done for the last 25 years.
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, MGTO director, said: “As we look forward to restarting tourism in the ‘new normal’, more than ever we will have to come up with solutions ‘outside the box’ to ensure that tourism is not only safe, but also seamless and appealing. Macao is honoured for its long-standing support to PATA in this inspiring initiative, on our way to transform the city into a world centre of tourism and leisure.”
providing key insights to the industry on the resumption of travel.
Fifty per cent of organisations have begun travelling again, but with stipulations, according to the third phase of the State of the Market survey by FCM Travel Solutions.
Conducted by FCM’s consulting arm 4th Dimension (4D), the final phase of the survey consisted of one-to-one interviews in August 2020 with 250 of FCM’s multinational large-scale clients globally in over 60 countries.
The research provides key insights to the industry on the resumption of travel in the new normal
The workshops examined a new path forward for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021, as corporate travel resumes amid new safety and hygiene requirements and protocols. It follows on from the results of two State of the Market surveys released in May and June, both conducted among 2,320 business travel managers, bookers and travellers in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, EMEA and the Americas, to gauge their sentiments on business travel during the Covid-19 crisis.
While 50% of respondents said they have employees already travelling or booking reservations to travel in the near future, resuming travel will be different for everyone.
The combined results of the State of the Market research (April to August 2020) shows that over 90% of businesses indicated that they planned to travel domestically and shorthaul international flights, within three months of government re-opening borders and lifting restrictions such as quarantine.
Yet the number of trips taken will likely be lower, as only 26% of businesses are planning to return to their pre-Covid-19 levels for domestic travel during 2021. The remaining 74% of businesses predict reduced domestic travel for the immediate year ahead. The average number of business trips per traveller pre-Covid, was six to eight per year; this number is likely to fall between three and four trips per person, per year until 2023.
Clients still have longhaul travel plans on hold indefinitely, as they assess the balance between need and safety. In particular, national businesses in China, Australia, New Zealand and US were less likely to have longhaul international plans for 2021, indicating only domestic and shorthaul international travel will be planned for next year. Meanwhile, 29% of respondents from China said they won’t be travelling longhaul, and 16% of respondents in Australia, 22% in New Zealand and 7% in the US indicated the same.
Cover page of the State of the Market research
The below provides a snapshot of professionals currently travelling globally:
Industries who continued to travel or recommenced travel the fastest were Mining & Wholesale, with approximately 40% of respondents from those businesses saying they continued travelling throughout the global shutdown, with 80% having resumed travel at this point.
Construction and food services follow closely behind with approximately 70% of respondents indicating that they’ve started travelling again.
In Asia, the financial services, science and technology, education and training, mining and construction sectors were one of the first to resume travel. Across all industries, the first groups of people to travel will be/have been sales, client management and project workforce who are focused on business growth, customer retention and the resumption of projects. Nineteen per cent of respondents agree that administration and internal support staff are the least likely to travel in the near future as they are not client-facing.
The top two priorities for many respondents across Asia were budget and risk management also known as Duty of Care. FCM also remains cognisant of the fact that triggers for business travel include travelling when safe (vaccine or virus eradicated), borders reopening, increase in traveller confidence and the ability to appropriately track travellers.
Moreover, the study revealed that the future of travel buying behaviour will be influenced by:
Airline, hotel, car/ground Covid-safety protocols (37% of respondents are reviewing their hotel suppliers to ensure they are Covid-safe and 25% of respondents rate Duty of Care their number one focus as travel resumes in their business)
Shortened purchase window (the average purchase window for domestic travel has dropped from seven to 10 days (pre-Covid) to three to four days post-Covid)
Flexible fares
Avoidance of overnight requirements
Virtual meetings as a back-up
In addition to focusing on budgets, traveller confidence and safety procedures, businesses large and small are re-evaluating their travel policies in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
Now, more than ever before, a travel policy ensures businesses have set guidelines around traveller safety, budgets, required documentation and purpose for travel, while empowering employees to use careful judgement when booking and incurring travels expenses. Currently, 84% of businesses interviewed have active travel policies, either at a national or global level.
During Covid-19, 40% of respondents who had existing policies introduced interim travel policies, providing more restrictive guidelines for travellers. Interim policies include varying definitions of indefinite travel bans, classifications for business-critical travel (where safe), new approval procedures, general guidelines for changed supplier services and also procedures for business meetings. 50% of customers are making further changes to their policy as travel resumes.
Priorities of revised policies include health & hygiene; pre-trip approval; business class travel approval; whether the business is essential; journey changes; adhering to Covid conduct; using preferred and Covid safe suppliers.
The full State of the Market report with a comprehensive analysis of the survey results and market overview is available here.
Virtual meetings will be more commonplace now, so here are some tips as to how to manage one better
One of the obvious casualties from the Covid-19 pandemic is the events industry. Many event and marketing teams had to grapple with short notice and swift decision making on whether to postpone their events, cancel their events, or replace upcoming events with a virtual version.
However, as a vast majority of us can relate to spending so much time on our devices, it’s developing a new phrase: virtual fatigue. The question for event organisers has now shifted from “How can we successfully host a virtual event?” to “How can we stand out among other virtual events today?”
Virtual meetings will be more commonplace now, so here are some tips as to how to manage one better
In relation to Singapore’s MICE industry pivoting its strategy during the pandemic, many event organisers have now turned to technology as a solution.
I have a few learnings to share – gleaned from ConnecTechAsia2020, the first virtual Infocomm, Media and Technology event held in partnership with Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority – with those looking to take their events virtual.
Don’t experiment this year, go with a trusted platform. With only one chance to get it right this year, I would recommend to make the investment and choose a trusted platform that is stable, strong and secure in all ways. It does not just fall onto the company’s reputation, but the community’s as well. The right platform must be capable of delivering the event’s full value in a secure and safe way.
Conduct walk-throughs with your various stakeholders as early as possible. Once you have confirmed a platform, conduct walk-throughs with your delegates, sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, and attendees early – at least a month or two before the event. Giving them as much information as possible, would ensure familiarity with the platform and its features. While doing this, always keep in mind what the Return on Investment (ROI) is for each stakeholder.
Understand the importance of qualified leads. With any event, virtual or physical, qualified leads are a top priority for exhibitors, and you have to make sure to deliver this. For ConnecTechAsia2020 we provide backend data where they will be able to track and access visitors’ information not just during the three live event days, but for the entire duration the platform will be online which for us will be till June 2021.
Provide high-end business matchmaking. This is another top priority for our attendees. ConnecTechAsia’s business matching platform is powered by artificial intelligence (AI), where attendees will receive personalised connections and meeting suggestions based on their interests and profile. On a consolidated dashboard, visitors can view connections, find out who is interested in setting up a meeting with them and arrange for one-to-one video meets via virtual meeting rooms.
Do not cut the marketing budget. A virtual event is much more challenging to promote, especially this year. In just a span of a few months, we find ourselves competing to provide unparalleled online experiences through content and functionalities. Companies would have to put in the same amount of resources, if not more, to promote the event. This is especially true if you have never run a virtual event in the past and have yet to establish a track record.
While the demand for physical events will not disappear any time soon, the pandemic has made it clear that it has come down to pivot or perish when making the move to digital. This rapid evolution highlights the importance of understanding not just the industry, but what attendees consider value-adding.
The focus is no longer about replicating, but transcending the physical to bridge the gulf between what is expected of them and what makes their event meaningful to audiences in this new frontier.
It'll. One-day event for practical knowledge, strategies and solutions needed for recovery
The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) will host a one-day hybrid event that will feature workshops to build the practical skills and knowledge event professionals and businesses need to be successful in the recovery phase of the industry.
Convening Asia Pacific – The Global Recovery Forum, will be at ICC Sydney on November 10 and available online from 12.00-16.00 AEDT. The live-streamed event will cover topics including digital events marketing, participation, risk management and digital sponsorship.
The one-day event will provide attendees with practical knowledge, strategies and solutions needed for recovery
Karen Bolinger, PCMA managing director of APAC, said the content for the programme has been designed around the findings from PCMA’s major global and Asia-Pacific surveys where the association spoke with buyers and suppliers what skills and information were needed to survive and thrive post-Covid-19.
“This event is an intensive four-hour program co-created by event planners and the industry and includes case studies, workshops, and strategic content. While the solutions are always changing and adapting, Convening Asia Pacific will cover the most up-to-date thinking and training.
“Only together will we work to create viable solutions and find ways to adapt and continue our journey to recovery,” added Bolinger.
PCMA released its Business Events Compass globally in July, providing research-based insights on geographic and industry sector business events recovery opportunities, as well as recommendations for the evolution of participant engagement, business models and expected reskilling needs.
In August, PCMA released the Covid-19 Recovery Dashboard survey specific to the Asia-Pacific region, where common pain points were strategic approaches to budgets, exhibitors and engagement.
CLIA, an industry body which represents major cruise lines, has unveiled the adoption of a mandatory set of health protocols, as part of a phased resumption of operations in the Americas.
Some of these protocols include testing of all passengers and crew for Covid-19 prior to embarkation, mandatory mask-wearing onboard and during excursions where physical distancing cannot be maintained; as well as air management and ventilation strategies to increase fresh air onboard.
CLIA adopts mandatory safety protocols, including 100 per cent testing for passengers and crew, as it looks to resume operations in the Americas
Also in place are risk-based response plans tailored for each ship to manage medical needs, dedicated cabin capacity allocated for isolation and other operational measures, and advance arrangements with private providers for shoreside quarantine, medical facilities, and transportation.
These core elements will be adopted by all CLIA ocean-going cruise line members. CLIA said in a statement: “Guided by world-class experts in medicine and science, CLIA and its ocean-going cruise line members have outlined a pathway to support a phased-in, highly-controlled return to passenger service in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America with protocols that promote the health and safety of passengers, crew and the communities visited.
“The core elements mirror the successful resumption of cruising in other parts of the world and include 100 per cent testing of passengers and crew prior to boarding — a travel industry first. Initial cruises would sail on modified itineraries under stringent protocols that encompass the entirety of the cruise experience, from booking to debarkation. With support and approval of regulators and destinations, cruises could feasibly begin during the remainder of 2020.”
Informed by leading scientists, medical experts, and health authorities, the core elements are the product of extensive work by CLIA ocean-going cruise lines and their renowned teams of science and medical experts, including the recommendations from the Healthy Sail Panel established by Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, as well as MSC’s Blue Ribbon group and Carnival Corporation’s collection of outside independent experts.
Other considerations included the effective protocols developed for the successful sailings in Europe by MSC Cruises, Costa, Tui Cruises, Ponant, Seadream, and others.
These core elements will be continuously evaluated and adjusted against the current state of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the availability of new prevention, therapeutics, and mitigation measures.
Businesses have to consider several aspects now to restore travel confidence in the new normal
In recent weeks, we have seen Singapore ink various ‘green lane’ agreements with other countries, signalling the return of essential business travel.
For many organisations who rely on business travel as a critical component of daily operations, these are welcome developments. However, many are also cognisant of the challenges that lie ahead for the travelling workforce, due to Covid-19 resurgences in various countries and security incidents exacerbated by the global pandemic.
Businesses have their work cut out for them when it comes to restoring travel confidence in the new normal
Amid this ever-evolving situation, how can organisations prepare their workforce for the return of business travel?
While pre- and post-pandemic travel will look very different, one thing that remains is the need for organisations to have robust yet flexible travel policies that contribute towards a culture where their workforce feels supported throughout this ‘new normal’. In doing so, organisations can inspire renewed travel confidence and instil greater workforce and business resilience. But where should travel managers even begin?
Top three concerns in resuming business travel
In a recent survey by International SOS, 40 per cent of businesses in Asia-Pacific are planning to resume business travel within the next six months – in critical locations such as China, India and Australia.
Three major concerns were highlighted among these organisations as well. These include getting stuck in a destination country (81 per cent), adhering to varying guidelines on safety and health practices (57 per cent), and safety and hygiene levels at the accommodation and transportation (52 per cent).
Understanding these concerns provides a critical guide for organisations to implement policies and protocols that reassure, support and safeguard the travelling workforce from pre-trip plans until their safe return home.
The new normal of travel: ‘Green lane’ measures, ‘mobile bubbles’ and digital health passports
As more ‘green lane’ measures are being introduced in the coming months, we will be seeing organisations resume business travel. These reciprocal arrangements, subject to safeguards and requirements that are mutually agreed by two countries, will allow employees to travel in and out of both countries with greater ease.
That said, organisations’ travel policies should also recognise that every ‘green lane’ arrangement has its own procedures and guidelines. For example, an arrangement between Singapore to China could look quite different from one between Singapore to New Zealand. Thus, being able to account for these various measures puts organisations in a good position to support their travelling employees as they navigate the new travel environment.
Beginning with pre-trip preparations, organisations should first identify when and where to resume business travel. This will involve looking at the risks of a second wave or virus resurgence, the status of healthcare resources and of course, whether any ‘travel bubble’ or ‘green lane’ measures are in place in the destination country.
Individualised travel risk assessments for employees should also be conducted to identify and mitigate their health and safety risks. These include thoroughly reviewing any underlying medical conditions and destination-specific risks. With this information, we work with clients to ensure a ‘mobile bubble’ for their employees – a set of strict measures that shields the individual in transit, from personal protective equipment to validated ground transportation or accommodation with stringent safeguards against Covid-19.
Training and education programmes go a long way in restoring travel confidence as well.
Creating an open environment for employees to share their travel concerns, organising Q&A sessions to address any issues and conducting pre-trip briefings to help employees prepare for the identified destination-specific risks will empower employees to protect themselves while travelling, and alleviate fears of the unknown. These sessions can also underscore the importance of staying within their ‘mobile bubbles’ and taking the advised precautions while abroad.
During trips, many of our clients are adopting round-the-clock tracking to locate at-risk travellers via real-time updates, to swiftly respond to pressing incidents on the ground, as well as 24/7 access to remote medical and security advice and assistance. These can include remote confidential counselling and telehealth services for anyone who needs help while abroad.
Organisations must also be able to support their travelling workforce in worst-case scenarios. In the event that their business travellers have an unexpected medical condition or are stranded overseas due to sudden border closures and cancellation of commercial flights, organisations should be prepared to include evacuation plans via chartered aircraft or air ambulances with the support of trusted providers, to safely repatriate them back home.
Upon return, organisations must ensure that returning employees understand and follow the necessary quarantine and medical screening procedures, in compliance with local authorities’ guidelines. A post-travel assessment will also help to uncover strengths and weaknesses in the travel policy, so that it can be improved for the future. An agile plan that responds to an ever-evolving global environment will enable both organisations and their employees to confidently adapt to any existing or emerging challenges.
As part of global efforts to facilitate a faster and safer return to work and travel, we are also working with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on the deployment of ICC AOKpass, a mobile app that uses a standardised global system to enable the trusted recognition of individuals’ Covid-19 compliance status while leveraging blockchain technology to maintain the highest levels of privacy preservation over user data. Successful pilots have been carried out with Singapore company Energy Drilling Management, and International SOS Singapore office.
Balancing vulnerability with privacy
Many of these protocols depend on sharing personal information, such as employees’ medical history and vulnerabilities. Understandably, employees might have reservations about sharing this information with the organisation, in fear of discrimination or inability to resume business travel.
This is especially so for vulnerable employees with higher medical risks of contracting Covid-19, like diabetes, cardiovascular or lung conditions.
Organisations should reassure employees that confidentiality safeguards are in place to store, use and disclose personal data, without any job-related consequences. Ultimately, this comes back to creating a culture where employees are confident that the organisation prioritises their well-being and safety, while respecting and protecting their privacy.
Restoring travel confidence
The way we travel henceforth will require a lot more planning and responding rapidly to global developments. However, recognising that business travel remains an indispensable part of business operations, organisations must stay flexible and ensure that travel policies are thoroughly reviewed and updated to safeguard their travelling workforce.
When employees are assured that their health and emotional well-being are a key priority for the organisation, they will regain the trust and resilience to continue weathering the next half of this pandemic, and any future crises that come their way.
Low Kiang Wei is medical director at International SOS, where he oversees all Medical Services and Health Consulting projects in Singapore.
Additionally, Low is responsible for driving Digital Health integration within the Group across Asia-Pacific, via implementing innovative telehealth and medical technology solutions.
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
The five-star property excels in backing its expansive facilities with seamless service and personalised attention, setting the benchmark for luxury in Bangkok.
Low Kiang Wei is medical director at International SOS, where he oversees all Medical Services and Health Consulting projects in Singapore.
