While online meetings and events have become the norm because of travel restrictions, corporate travel managers say more research is needed to determine if it is a long-term solution especially with T&E budgets remaining flat.
Those interviewed said they had expected cost savings going virtual but discovered that virtual platforms do not come cheap, with one commenting that the three-party cost for a local virtual meeting with about 20 attendees could be about 30 per cent higher compared to booking a venue and meeting package for a face-to-face instead.
Sim: surprised that a virtual event incurs costs that are similar to an in-person event
He continued: “Depending on whether or not a studio, producer, professional cameraman, etc are needed and the cost of the platform provider’s licence fee per meeting, we are looking at US$20,000 to US$30,000 to connect 1,000 participants in a conference.”
With T&E budgets remaining flat for 2021, he noted the likelihood of a 60/40 face-to-face/virtual meetings and events split next year, adding the only situation where the company’s clinical observation programmes and on-the-job training have to be face-to-face.
With a business critical only travel policy now in place, Jane Sim, commodity manager, ASEAN, Siemens, expects department heads to lower the budgets for T&E spend in 2021.
“Events and exhibitions are definitely a major spend in South-east Asia and Siemens has internal technology to hold events and partner meetings. But if the event content is too complex we need to work with event agencies. From first impressions, it is not going to be cheap, which also surprised me my colleagues.
“We started analysing our use of virtual meetings and events a year ago and are looking for capable partners to help us achieve total cost optimisation as constant cost-saving was the company direction even before Covid-19,” Sim shared.
Meanwhile, Adriana Nainggolan, travel programme manager, Asia-Pacific, Autodesk, commented many staff would prefer to meet in person, especially for important meetings where collaboration among team members is required.
“As soon as travel can return, I am sure our staff will start planning,” she opined.
Agreeing, Benson Tang, executive director, corporate travel, Informa Markets, believes once a vaccine is available confidence to resume corporate travel will be strong.
“We are social beings. Nothing can replace the benefit of meeting business associates, clients and colleagues (face-to-face). The question now is how we will value business travel post-Covid-19 when it can resume,” Nainggolan said.
Last week, Japan successfully held several exhibitions – the first few large-scale B2B trade fairs since the country lifted its national state of emergency – with numerous health and safety measures in place.
The 12th Kansai Hotel & Restaurant Show, and five other exhibitions (Maintenance & Resilience Osaka 2020; 12th Factory & Process Visualization Expo; 3rd Industrial Automation & Robo-Tech Expo; Weather & Climate Measures Business Week 2020 – Summer Edition Osaka; Plant Show Osaka 2020; and International Drone Expo 2020), were concurrently held at INTEX Osaka from July 29-31. A total of 460 companies at 830 booths utilised the entire INTEX Osaka complex.
Safety measures during a pandemic
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The event signified high hopes for the resumption of the MICE industry, and the recovery of economic activity, while ensuring infectious disease control measures were in place.
To prevent the spread of Covid-19, operational measures included implementing capacity limits; using a web pre-registration system to control date and time of attendance; installing thermographic cameras; setting up of a quarantine area; as well as placing social distancing markers within the venue. The venue layout was also changed to ensure at least three metres in width, and installing clear panels on speaker podiums.
Hiroshi Mizohata, president of the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, expressed: “By holding Japan’s first major exhibition amid the coronavirus pandemic, we want to send a big, encouraging shout to those concerned about exhibitions and international meetings held across Japan.
As the world of brand experience saw major disruptions during the Covid-19 crisis, more brands have partnered with their agencies to create more online events and digital-based experiences.
This not only became an immediate response to a crisis, as it also helped accelerate the digitalisation of brand experience.
Going virtual will have its own set of challenges
However, every market has reacted differently to the pandemic, so as a business we have to work closely with our local clients to offer a bespoke hybrid solution that complies with local laws, while ensuring there are backup plans in place.
Here are some ideas as to what event planners can do in order to maximise all available tech for their virtual event.
1. Stay connected with live streaming
Uniplan has increased communications by introducing internal livestreaming for updates and inter-office knowledge sharing across different markets to grow our digital knowledge and skills and use this new expertise to ensure successful project delivery for our clients.
This innovative tech allows us to better communicate both internally and with clients. On an enterprise level, there are lots of tools available. They have the advantage of attendee experience, live event usage reports, while leveraging on content delivery network technologies. Live streaming and pre-filmed events using a green screen and/or physical build ensure you can reach a large audience fast, easily, safely and professionally.
2. Cloud-based solution
Planners should consider leveraging cloud-based solutions. Now the focus is more towards, small, consistent, incremental enhancements so learning is ongoing. There are a million articles on the advantages of moving to the Cloud but some quick advantages for planners are new collaboration tools, fast deployment, scalable, location agnostic, co-editing & enterprise security.
For virtual events, setup and delivery can be supported by distributed teams which is critical during Covid-19.
3. Change your mindset
Technology is here to stay and will continue to complement our human connection and experience potentially more than it ever has in the past. Consumers have evolved and adapted. Agencies and advertisers will need to follow suit in a creative integrated manner allowing for a more hybrid project delivery involving both digital and traditional elements.
4. Create an innovation culture
Culture comes from the top down. It’s up to the business to enable innovation. For example, Uniplan needed to invoke business continuity as Covid-19 hit, but on the other hand realised it was a chance to think creatively and build new ways of working and delivering for our clients.
We were able to drop the Covid-19 problem into ideation sessions to come up with new solutions/workarounds/options for our clients. The tools we have been using have all been cloud-based.
Virtual workspaces for preparation, both high and low fidelity wireframing, design tools, prototyping, plugins, combined with design thinking and a driven to win attitude have helped the business through this difficult period. Cloud allows our users to work from anywhere with Internet which is essential for our business continuity.
5. Cybersecurity
Planners have to be vigilant more than ever on cybersecurity to ensure that virtual events can be effectively carried out. For starters, for internal company data and security, your IT department should have an Information Security Management system. This will cover the very basics from user awareness through to high-end network security.
For planners, they should engage IT and DevOps to ensure solutions are secure and workable from day one. Creative technologists, who understand both sides of digital and creative, working with IT departments are key for creative agencies to deliver new types of secure hybrid work.
two whales swimming in calm blue water of Scarborough Beach, Perth, Western Australia
In a major win for Western Australia, Perth has been chosen – over China and Singapore – as the host destination of the 25th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals come December 2023.
As the largest conference of its kind, it is expected to attract more than 2,000 members of the Society for Marine Mammals to Western Australia over eight days, including pre- and post- touring to the regions, generating more than A$10 million (US$7.1 million) for the local economy in direct delegate expenditure.
Two whales swimming in the blue waters off Scarborough Beach, Perth
Business Events Perth chief executive Gareth Martin said: “This is welcome news for Western Australia and comes at a crucial time for the local business events industry, which has been impacted significantly by the coronavirus pandemic.”
“Lucrative business events such as these require significant planning and by securing them now we are not only looking to the long-term recovery of our tourism industry but ensuring Australia is kept front of mind for decision makers as a world-class events destination,” said the federal minister for tourism Simon Birmingham.
Raffles Hotels & Resorts have opened their 15th Raffles-branded property in the world in Bali, a half-hour drive away from Ngurah Rai International Airport by private limousine.
The property offers 32 private pool villas for top incentive winners, all of which are equipped with indoor and outdoor showers, a soaking tub, yoga mats, and beach accessories.
Sunset from a Raffles Bali private villa
There will also be Raffles Wellbeing Butlers to tend to a guest’s every need, as well as arrange for cultural experiences ranging from temple dance ceremonies to traditional cooking classes.
Raffles Bali will also be the first to launch the brand’s new wellbeing programme, Emotional Wellbeing by Raffles, an apt move in such pandemic times.
Aside from the programme, winners can also unwind at the Raffles Spa. There are three treatment suites, one of which – named The Sanctuary – is set apart from the others and hidden in nature.
Other facilities include the Rumari, a restaurant serving up Balinese cuisine; Loloan Beach Bar and Grill; Writers Bar and the adjoining Library which offers cocktails including the Raffles Bali Sling; and a 25-metre infinity pool.
There are activities that cannot be replaced by virtual alternatives, like hugs, handshakes and honeymoons. Incentive travel planners will not hesitate to add to that list reward trips for top achievers.
Interviews conducted for our cover feature this month show just that – they are unanimous in their belief that the motivational value of extraordinary travel experiences can’t be beat and will remain the preferred business tool for companies looking to drive performance.
As much as that is true, the painful reality is that with most international borders shut to non-essential travel, one cannot jet their top achievers off to somewhere impressive and exotic. The only destination that remains accessible is one’s very own backyard.
For many companies, an incentive trip at home packs a weak punch, so top performers of 2019 are taking home cold, hard cash rewards this year.
But is one’s own backyard truly that unworthy as a reward? This pandemic could well be a true test of incentive programmers’ creativity, especially if they have long built their fortune on whisking top achievers off to foreign lands that sell themselves. How will they fare turning inwards to identify gems at home? And can they convince their clients to trust them?
What I think could aid incentive programmers in their quest for an outstanding local experience now is the intensified marketing by hospitality players to the domestic audience – the only source of business they currently have.
At the same time, studies have found that consumers are desiring destination experiences that are authentic and enriching when they can resume their travels. But why wait till international borders reopen? There are authentic and enriching experiences to be found at home, to be discovered by residents who never thought to give what they perceived as familiar a second glance.
Could a fireside chat with the destination’s last-standing whoever be hosted, where guests would hear precious first-hand recollections of a bygone era that even their grandparents wouldn’t know to tell? Could a group access a local landmark that is reserved for the highest of foreign dignitaries? Could a feast be served, featuring rare recipes that are close to extinction because of cultural dilution?
I’m sure even a destination as small as Singapore would hold many hidden gems in her bosom, and I would love to rediscover my country myself.
At the start of 2020, the incentive travel industry’s future looked incredibly bright.
This was supported by results from the 2019 Incentive Travel Industry Index, a joint research effort from SITE (the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence), IRF (the Incentive Research Foundation) and FICP (Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals), which pointed to an uptick in incentive travel spend over the next few years.
Industry players believe incentives will still be key performance motivators which cannot be replaced
The survey showed that incentive travel was expected to grow at an average rate of nearly three per cent from 2020 to 2022, with budgets increasing over the next three years, while spending per person also looked set to increase by roughly two per cent.
However, the pandemic has altered the outlook, with many companies putting their travel and event plans on hold until it is safe and possible to get moving once more.
Health is wealth
When incentive travel demand returns, programme designers and specialists believe that health and safety factors will play a major role in the decision-making process. Travellers will want to know that they are safe, and be reassured that the trip has been planned carefully and tightly-managed.
SITE’s CEO, Didier Scaillet, pointed out: “We will see new standards and procedures – less people per room, more room between chairs, sanitisation procedures, new security protocol at airports, new rules on plane, etc.”
Niels Steeman, group director marketing and e-Commerce, Asian Trails, agree that health and safety matters will take a front row seat.
“The administrative side of assuring a clean and safe environment for participants will be of the utmost importance. I believe that this post-Covid wish for incentive travel will evolve around getting assurances that venues, hotels, transportation companies, and DMCs adhere to local and international health standards,” he elaborated.
Health and safety might even be taken to the next level, mused Jennifer Glynn, president, SITE Global. “After 9/11 we saw security measures at airports and within airlines increasing; (I think we’re) going to see incentive travel programmes travelling with nurses or doctors and (clients) asking more difficult questions about the health security of the area.”
Safe locations in focus
Incentive programmes of the future may also feature more time outdoors.
Alicia Yao, managing director of IME Consulting in China, predicts a leaning towards open-air venues for activities and dining, to allow planners to abide by social distancing requirements.
Yao also expects incentive programmes to feature healthier food options and wellness activities.
Anticipating this trend, DMC Asian Trails has taken a step in this direction by collating a list of open-air activities that can be done in Asia, ranging from candle-lit dinners for up to 80 pax in Bagan, to walking and dining on the iconic Great Wall of China for groups of up to 50.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Awadh Sheikh Abdullah, managing director of Malaysia-based Gotz Travel & Tours, believes that his clients will be more discerning in selecting a destination.
“They will do their own research into the destination and (ensure that) safeguards are in place at all the hotels and venues. They will also want to go to destinations and venues that are not crowded. Destinations that have stringent SOPs (standard operating procedures) in place will be favoured,” he remarked.
As companies avoid densely populated locations, Scaillet believes that second- and third-tier destinations will become more “attractive”.
“Incentive travel does not need massive infrastructure and major hubs, as these small groups can use other means of transportation. This represents a true opportunity for less MICE-developed destinations,” he posited.
Destinations with a good health system in place will also shine, opined Abdul Rahman Mohamed, general manager, Mayflower Holidays Malaysia.
Covid-19 fears, travel restrictions and budget limitations will also result in companies choosing destinations closer to home, say incentive travel specialists like Singapore-based MICE Matters’ director, Melvyn Nonis.
“Trans-continental travel will take some time to resume and incentive travel will stay national first, then progressively regional, and finally global,” said Scaillet.
Watch for contractions
Health and safety considerations, as well as poorer business performance among companies during the current economic downturn, are expected to impact the size of future incentive groups.
But there’s good news, for Sheikh foresees CVBs hungry for incentive groups will “come up with new subventions and lower the qualifying size of groups”.
A group size of 25 to 30 people is ideal for efficient social distancing and management, according to Alexander Wong, founder of MICE Hospitality Connections in Malaysia.
“Coaches will be travelling at half capacity as delegates are encouraged to sit apart. During mealtimes, we will see more space between individuals,” Wong added.
In fact, nothing more than 500 pax, opined Agustinus Pake Seko, president director of Indonesia-based Bayu Buana Travel. The downside to reduced group sizes is that prices could increase by 20 to 30 per cent, he said.
The only way is up
While the mood among incentive travel specialists is sombre now, many told TTGmice that they remain confident that business will rebound soon enough, with pent-up demand being the main driver.
There is no substitute for incentives, said Destination China’s general manager, Gunther Homerlein, as experiencing another country and its culture remains a key motivator for many.
Indonesian players are also optimistic that their clients will not replace trips with cash rewards.
Agustinus said: “Money cannot replace experiences and create engagement… Many companies still plan to travel next year with us.”
Bringing hope to the conversation, Vidya Hermanto, managing director of Orange Incentive House – the corporate incentive division under Panorama JTB Tour – revealed that she has been fielding some enquires from local companies.
She said: “Unlike meetings and exhibitions, incentive trips cannot be done virtually. The market will always be there regardless of the situation.”
Asian Trails’ Steeman has also seen new enquiries coming in for potential trips for 2021, and pointed out that programmes for 2020 were only postponed and not cancelled.
Meanwhile, Nonis expects possible movement to only begin from April 2021.
“I have no doubt that the fundamentals that fuelled the growth of incentive travel pre-pandemic will persist post-pandemic: motivating and rewarding top performers by extraordinary travel experiences is, and will be more than ever now that people have experienced confinement, one of the most powerful business tools (and more so with millenials),” Scaillet concluded.
Rachel AJ Lee, S Puvaneswary, Mimi Hudoyo, Anne Somanas, and Prudence Lui contributed to this article
Xperience Singapore’s Crazy Rich Asians Tour
While the hype surrounding popular film Crazy Rich Asians has calmed, tours inspired by the movie remain a wealth of rich cultural experiences for visitors to Singapore. In Xperience Singapore’s take of a behind-the-scenes journey, participants will visit a number of movie locations that also hold historical and cultural significance. These include the Gothic chapel CHIJMES and Newton Circus Food Centre with its Michelin-listed hawker stalls.
Finally, in a rare opportunity, guests can also partake in a private mahjong session with an expert. A gamble between four persons, mahjong is no longer played in public, making it almost inaccessible to visitors. The two-hour tours are kept small and intimate, ranging from two to a maximum of five individuals at a given time. contact@xperiencedmc.com
Sunrise at Mount Bromo and Breakfast on the Savannah
This two-day trip starts from Surabaya, where upon arrival at Juanda International Airport, delegates will be transferred to Cemorolawang Village near Mount Bromo for an overnight stay at the local hotel.
Guests will be then hop into a 4WD jeep at 03.00 to the Penanjakan view point to watch the sunrise, before continuing to the mountain’s crater, followed by a pony ride before climbing 245 stairs to the summit. After that exercise, delegates will be brought to a quiet area for a freshly-prepared breakfast served picnic-style.
Under new health regulations, group sizes will be limited to 15, while the jeep will accommodate only two instead of four. info@monastours.com
Wildlife Encounters in Sabah
This two-day programme by Borneo Trails to Sandakan and the Kinabatangan River in Sukau, Malaysia is ideal for those who want to get away from the city.
It starts with a tour to see two endangered species, the orangutan and the Borneo sun bear at their respective rehabilitiation centres. At both centres, delegates will be briefed on what Sabah is doing to rehabilitate these animals so that they can be released back into the wild.
This is followed by a two-hour drive to Sukau, and a stay at the eco-friendly 12-room Borneo Nature Lodge, located along the Kinabatangan River. Guests can opt for a day or night cruise with an experienced guide to spot local wildlife such as proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, wild cats and hornbills.
This is suitable for small groups of up to 20 people, and with advance notice, companies will also be given the option to book the entire resort for the ultimate privacy. bernadette@borneotrails.com
Jetski Island Adventure Excursion
The four-hour jet ski excursion offered by Mega Water Sports explores the natural beauty of the southern islands of Langkawi, which is a UNESCO Global Geopark.
The experienced guide will share knowledge of what Malaysia’s Langkawi Geopark is about, the limestone formations along the way, as well as point out wildlife sightings of eagles, hornbills, long tailed macaques and dusky leaf langurs. A stop at a secluded island for delegates to swim and relax on the beach is also included.
This activity can take a maximum of 40 people at one time, split into four groups of 10 people on five jet skis. info@megawatersports.com
Khmer Party in Chhreav Village
The Khmer people hold a gathering every year in the countryside to celebrate the rice harvest. Asian Trails can arrange for groups of between 26 to 60 to partake in the outdoor traditional event in Chhreav Village, a 20-minute drive from Siem Reap. It will be an evening of gastronomical delights and local cultural experiences.
Photo by: Jaya Catering, Siem Reap, Asian Trails
The group will be able to taste Khmer cuisine, where the dining area is set up around a local craft market with stalls in wooden cottages. After eating their fill, guests will be able to try their hand at a sculpture workshop, making baskets, milling rice, shadow-puppet making, or fishing. There will also be a Bokator – Cambodian martial art demonstration – and a chance to dance to traditional music. res@asiantrails.com.kh
The Vietage
The Vietage, a 12-guest carriage, has launched luxury railway journeys through the Vietnamese countryside linking Danang and Quy Nhon.
It journeys for six hours between Anantara Hoi An Resort and Anantara Quy Nhon Villas, passing through local villages, the rural countryside, and stops at a few stations on the way.
Amenities onboard the custom-designed carriage include a sit-up bar, and a dedicated area with spa treatment chairs. An à la carte menu also offers premium wines, champagnes and treats such as local caviar and cheeses, all available for pre-purchase.
The Vietage runs for 11 months each year, taking a break during the annual Vietnamese Tet holiday period. vietage@thevietagetrain.com
Local Alike “Covid Therapy” Activities
Ethically-conscious community-based tourism enterprise Local Alike in Thailand has debuted a series of six post-Covid therapy activities.
They are Aural Therapy through folk music and the sound of nature in Chiang Mai; Endless Horizon Visual Therapy in a village nestled in the mountains of Mae Hong Sorn; Breath of Life Oxygen Therapy in Chulapornpattana local community in Yala; Eat Well to Live Well Therapeutic Gastronomy at a community in Rayong; Forest Bathing to revitalise the body at Baan Rai Jai Kaew organic farm with an included homestay; and Spiritual Therapy Path to Peace in Lamphoon.
Each trip is usually 2D/1N long but can be customised according to a group’s preference, and is limited to 20 pax or less. sales@localalike.com
9 Hornbills Tented Camp
Probably no form of accommodation is more suited to social distancing than glamping, and the secluded, adults-only 9 Hornbills Tented Camp on Ko Yao Noi Island in Thailand will take all the bite out of the necessary health and safety measure.
The seven tented villas here open out to a view of the sea, and each dwelling boasts its own private infinity pool where floating breakfast platters and butler service are order of the day. Groups that book out the entire resort will have the property’s private beach all to themselves.
Snooze in a beachside hammock, snag a kayak or paddle board and hit the water, or rent motorbikes or bicycles to explore the island. Teambuilding activities or local explorations can also be organised by the resort, or through its partner, Khiri Travel. reservations@9hornbills.com
Soneva Fushi Island Buyout
Soneva Fushi, a luxury beach resort in the Maldives’ Baa Atoll, recently released an Island Buyout Offer.
Prices start from US$100,000++ per night, and are inclusive of accommodation in any of the one- to nine-bedroom villas for as many people as an event planner desires. However, prices do not include meals, experiences or transfers.
Guests will be able to watch films at the outdoor Cinema Paradiso, saunter into any restaurant at any given time of the day for a bite, head to the spa for a soothing scrub, cycle on trails through the island jungle, snorkel with manta rays, or just laze by the beach with a cocktail in hand. reservations@soneva.com
Pure Adventure with Nature
This five-day, four-night programme in New Zealand’s Queenstown is packed to the brim with all the adrenaline activities one could dream of.
Planners will have a slew of land and water activities to choose from, ranging from bungee jumping and skydiving to whitewater rafting and horse riding. Winners will also be brought to restaurants such as Waikatipu Grille and Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant, to taste dishes made with locally-sourced ingredients.
There will be a chance to interact with the Maoris, and work with the Wakatipu Reforestation Trust, a volunteer-led community organisation that aims to protect and restore the native biodiversity of the region through revegetation projects. Group sizes range from 20 to 120 pax. connect@micematters.com
Lamma Fisherfolks’ Village
Situated on Lamma Island, the 1,858m2 floating exhibition area is the only venue in Hong Kong that preserves the local fisherfolk culture and history of the fishering industry.
Participants can discover what life was like on the island, through various exhibits and activities such as hook-less fishing, traditional net fishing, cocktail mixing with preserved salted tangerine, or even Hakka tea pudding class in just half a day.
The open-air setting is a plus as groups can be split up and take part in different activities simultaneously. It should be avoided during the typhoon season, as well as on the weekends as it gets crowded with locals.
Sideline programmes like hiking and cultural tours at So Kwu Wan are also offered, while in the summer, guests can even try their hand at dragonboat paddling. cs@rainbowtour.com.hk
Geopark Wonders Walk
Sharp Island in Hong Kong – a UNESCO Global Geopark – is a long and narrow south-north island located a stone’s throw from Sai Kung Town Centre.
A three-hour tour, led by a certified EcoGuide, will take visitors on a hike around the island to look at various kinds of igneous rocks, such as volcanic breccia, quartz monzonite and rhyolite.
Visitors will also get to see evidence of a huge ancient caldera – it is believe that around 140 million years ago a volcano was located in Sai Kung – and walk across a tombolo (a sand bar) to another smaller island.
The tour is available all year round, with summer tipped as a good season for photos and clear blue sky and sea. Group sizes range from two, to a maximum of 10. derektse@ecotravel.hk
Aventri’s partnership with VenueBook clearly indicates a growing need for unique, standalone venues among corporate planners. Is this trend present and growing in Asia-Pacific?
Over the past few years, demand for non-traditional meeting spaces has been growing worldwide. The venue is one of the most important drivers for attendance and attendee satisfaction. Attendees today are looking for unique cultural experiences, and planners are finding unconventional venues are a great way to deliver on this promise.
This is good news for event professionals in Asia-Pacific, home to stellar non-traditional venues.
Event spaces in high demand here include restaurants, art galleries, museums, bars, historic landmarks, speedboats and sailboats for group excursions, renovated mansions, theatres, as well as venues in botanic gardens, parks, aquariums, towers, zoos and more.
Is a growing need for shorter, more focused meetings one of the factors driving the demand for such venues?
Yes, that’s one of the factors. Non-traditional venues work well for shorter events, including meetings within meetings.
Let’s say you want to entertain customers during a large international conference at a convention centre. Hosting a meeting at a unique venue nearby is a great way to deepen connections and provide a richer and fuller cultural experience.
Switching up the venue to a favourite local restaurant, boat excursion or vineyard and winery, for example, can provide a refreshing change of pace and a look at the distinct flavour of the destination.
What other factors are driving this trend?
Rise in experiential events, (the preferences of the) millennial workforce, and growth of small meetings.
Global meeting owners and planners today are focusing more on the experiential aspects of meetings and events, according to the 2020 Global Meetings and Events Forecast by American Express Meetings & Events.
(The theme) and content (now) demand more attention; organisers are increasingly looking at the venue as a way to deliver unforgettable, immersive experiences.
This brings us to the next trend. (The millennial generation) is expected to form the largest group of business travellers worldwide starting in 2024.
Here are a few general insights Aventri has gathered about millennials’ attitudes on meetings and events: the Internet and globalisation have produced a generation that’s keenly culturally aware. Millennials value broadening their global perspective and experiencing different ways of life first-hand.
This means going beyond the meeting room and experiencing the host destination. Non-traditional venues fit the bill, providing authentic local experiences.
The trend toward small meetings has also driven interest in unique venues.
According to GBTA’s How Do Companies Approach Simple Meetings? study, half of all corporate meetings are simple or small meetings.
Small meetings encourage two-way conversations, feedback and bonding among attendees. Non-traditional venues provide more intimate settings for achieving vital business goals.
What does this mean for traditional venues?
Traditional and non-traditional venues can work hand-in-hand.
When attendees come to a city for larger events, you may want to change things up with smaller supporting events. From concerts and wine tastings to dinners with key clients at iconic restaurants, unique venues help you deliver the unexpected…after being inside all day for a conference.
How do you expect the Covid-19 pandemic to impact venue choice when events resume?
When meetings resume, there will likely be changes in the size and type of meetings. We also expect to see more emphasis on health and safety, food service, hybrid events and contract clauses.
Some other predictions that apply to both unique and traditional venues are: an increase in local and regional drive-to events as air travel remains a concern for some; smaller meetings with more spacing between seats will be in-demand; and more events may take place in large museums or outdoors in private parks, botanic gardens and sports stadiums, with plenty of room for people to spread out.
All venues must meet more stringent health and safety standards. Before booking, planners will make in-depth enquiries about behind-the-scenes operations, including sanitising procedures and food preparation. During events, attendees will want to see plenty of hand sanitisers available.
Physical distancing protocols (mean that) planners and venues (will need) to provide more space in lobbies and public areas. Bar set-ups will need to factor in (safe) distancing too.
• Domestic events are materialising this year
• New RFPs have greater curiosity around health, safety aspects and contract flexibility
• CVBs urged to be proactive communications hubs
Business event specialists in Asia-Pacific are starting to see a revival of face-to-face event interest, with some likely to take place as soon as 3Q2020.
Despite “massive amount of apprehension about groups and how big they can be”, Ian Cummings, global vice president, commercial, CWT Meetings & Events noted that clients were starting to consider events for the last two quarters of 2020.
Local face-to-face meetings are resuming
Cummings suggested that this was possible, as governments in certain countries have allowed events to resume, subject to some health and safety restrictions.
Francis Cheong, co-founder and group CEO of Malaysia-based Aavii Worldwide, is preparing for domestic face-to-face events that will come alive from late-September, with most of the interest stemming from pharmaceutical and insurance companies.
He has also just completed “an extremely rare” pitch for an international incentive programme in 2021.
“Multinational clients in Malaysia are starting to look for (overseas event) alternatives because it has been more than four months of business inactivity in Malaysia. (However), clients are only looking at 2H2021 and are still very cautious with decisions,” Cheong told TTGmice.
New selection criteria
With the return of RFPs, event planners have observed a different set of considerations when evaluating potential destinations and event vendors.
Unique activities, exciting venues and appealing attractions in a destination now sit lower on clients’ checklist, according to Petrina Goh, commercial director of CWT Meetings & Events in Singapore. The destination’s track record in coping with the Covid-19 outbreak, safety standards and availability of good hospitals are deemed more important today.
Cheong: pharmaceutical and insurance companies are most active with event plans now
BCD Travel now runs through a comprehensive set of questions, on behalf of their clients, when deciding on a destination or supplier.
According to company spokesperson Agnes Heng, the checklist includes policies on surgical masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees, guests and event attendees; updated capacity charts with social distancing measures in place; crisis management plan; and the availability of an infection mitigation coordinator onsite; among others.
And with event plans likely to be disrupted by sudden infection resurgence, event planners and their clients are also scrutinising attrition clauses, minimum spend requirements and cancellation or postponement policies.
CVBs as information consolidator
The current complexity around event decision-making, frequent changes to travel and activity restrictions, as well as differing health and safety regulations across destinations, have led event specialists to advise CVBs to be more informative.
Cummings said: “There are some CVBs that we are just not hearing from at all and therefore have no information on their destination. TCEB (Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau) is a great example (of an Asian CVB that is doing it right). I get three or four pop-ups a day on LinkedIn on TCEB initiatives, things that are happening in this industry, and updates on (Thai) airports and airlines particularly their routes and pricing, etc.
Cummings: CVBs should be effective consolidator and disseminator of relevant information from various sources across the country
“Another important piece of information is incentives (for companies to meet in the destination). Some incentives or special treatment for groups will help with decisions.”
He believes that CVBs should now act as communication hubs – an effective consolidator and disseminator of relevant information from various sources across the country.
“We used to think that (destination) information overload for our clients isn’t great, but it is now better to have more information (as that can help improve clients’ perception of a destination),” opined Goh.
She said that in addition to looking to planners for advice, clients also turn to CVB websites in hopes of getting information on attraction reopenings, venue capacity limits, and new pricing structure of event products, especially if rates have been changed to accommodate social distancing requirements and capacity limits.
And if done right, CVBs could well sway clients’ decision with their messaging during this business crisis.
Cheong said: “CVBs will play an even more important role now than ever. They need to think differently about how to inspire travel intent during such unusual times. Their content for training and destination updates need to be revolutionised, such as by focusing on what can be done in the destination before and after a vaccine is available. For example, CVBs can play up faraway yet unique spots and outdoor glamping ideas in remote places.
“CVBs can also work with national carriers to come up with special chartered flights to destinations that are remote yet exciting enough for eager but weary event attendees,” Cheong added.
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