Deutsche Messe, one of the world’s leading exhibition organisers, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to establish an Asian headquarters in the city-state.
(From left) Hannover Fairs Asia-Pacific’s Katariina Rohrbach, STB’s Andrew Phua and SingEx Exhibitions’ James Boey agree to jointly develop and anchor new events in Singapore
Hannover Fairs Asia-Pacific will deepen Deutsche Messe’s presence in the region and support its plans to grow the number of trade fairs here.
“We aim to have a solid long-term foothold in the booming South-east Asia region and market our existing portfolio here directly. Singapore’s geographical location and strong MICE ecosystem make it an ideal destination from which to expand our presence in the region. We are also confident that the country’s fundamentals as a key MICE hub and attractive business destination remain strong, and that the MICE industry here will continue to thrive,” explained Katariina Rohrbach, managing director of Hannover Fairs Asia-Pacific.
Under the partnership, STB and Deutsche Messe will work together to develop and anchor new events in Singapore, reinforcing the country’s position as a global-Asia node bridging markets in the East and West.
Keith Tan, STB CEO, said: “Their decision to open their regional headquarters in Singapore points to our standing as a natural base for international event organisers who want to deepen their presence in Asia. Singapore’s strong MICE industry ecosystem and its deep connections with Singapore’s key business sectors enable us to host some of Asia’s most impactful business events.”
Separately, STB, Deutsche Messe and SingEx have also reaffirm their commitment to organise Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific (ITAP) in Singapore through a new MoU, which extends the agreement concluded three years ago.
ITAP is the Asian edition of the world’s largest manufacturing tradeshow, Hannover Messe, and is staged jointly by Deutsche Messe and SingEx.
Branded as a Hannover Messe Event, ITAP is an important market platform in the South-east Asia region, acting as a springboard for advanced manufacturing technologies that are vital to Singapore’s continued economic growth, and accelerating the pace of manufacturing-sector technology transformation in ASEAN countries.
ITAP 2019 attracted 23,000 attendees and 350 exhibitors from 30 countries, an increase from 15,000 attendees and 266 exhibitors from 23 countries in 2018.
The onslaught of the Covid-19 virus has forced many organisers in Singapore to postpone or cancel highly anticipated events, but rock festival Singapore Rockfest II is pushing through in March with its full line-up and enhanced safety measures.
Singapore Rockfest II, featuring top-billing rock bands such as Scorpions (pictured), will go on as scheduled next month
Scheduled for three programmes on March 5, 24 and 27, the event will feature top-billing rock bands such as Scorpions, Whitesnake and Slipknot. To accommodate additional safety measures, event organiser LAMC Productions has made several adjustments, including a shift in venue.
“We changed the venue from Fort Canning Park to Star Theatre in order to add on temperature checks and contact tracing. The venue has stepped up to provide hand sanitising, thermos-scanners and more,” explained Lauretta Alabons, LAMC Productions’ founder.
“By continuing the event, we want to send the message to all businesses and tourists that Singapore is safe and they should not have doubts about coming here,” she shared.
A “large portion” of ticket sales comes from foreign nationals, who either live in Singapore or are visiting from overseas.
To incentivise more tourists to make the trip here for the show, LAMC Productions is reaching out to attractions for partnerships on tourist packages, revealed Alabons. For instance, the company is in discussions with Sentosa Island to develop “extra benefits” for visitors.
She added that the most important aspect for the organiser is to maintain constant and open communication with event partners. “We update the bands, vendors and our partners on the number of reported cases in Singapore and who has been discharged. It’s important to properly communicate with everyone, and make the fans comfortable.”
Virtual meetings may help associations fulfil their constitutional need to meet during challenging times
Sudden changes to meetings are a reminder for associations to not rely solely on conference fees or a single event for revenue
Investment in building a local or regional speaker and partner network is critical
While the Covid-19 has resulted in negative impacts on daily life and businesses, Asian association executives and congress specialists are regarding the outbreak as an opportunity for them to take another look at how their events are conducted and their dependence on event revenues.
Moving affected meetings online may be a solution
Shirlena Soh, president, Association of Biomedical Laboratory Professionals (Singapore) (ABMLPS), which had to cancel two major meetings in the coming months due to the Covid-19 outbreak, told TTGassociations that the situation was proof that they had taken the right decision to consider moving some meetings online.
One of the affected ABMLPS meeting in Singapore was scheduled for March, a gathering organised in collaboration with a US entity, with some 100 attendees expected.
“Even before the outbreak, ABMLPS was already looking into how to take some of our meetings online, for instance our AGMs. Because of the nature of our members’ profession, getting an AGM going is sometimes challenging. A decision to postpone an AGM also requires an approval obtained at a meeting. Fortunately, in our constitution, we allow electronic communications,” said Soh.
Soh explained that the decision to axe the two ABMLPS meetings was made only because members are the first line of respondents in the Covid-19 outbreak and all are involved in the intense lab investigations in Singapore.
“All meetings and activities are also impossible now due to a strict hospital segregation plan that restricts medical professionals from coming in contact with one another,” she said.
ABMLPS is not the only association whose activities were impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak.
According to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Research Division, 44 meetings scheduled for Asia-Pacific in 2020 – out of a total of 1,065 meetings in the region – have had a change of plans because of the outbreak. Five have been relocated, five cancelled and 34 postponed.
ICCA: Most affected association meetings are postponed, not cancelled
While most meeting plans were changed out of consideration for the welfare of attendees, the 19th International Congress on Infectious Diseases (ICID) was postponed for practical reasons, just like ABMLPS.
It was supposed to be held this February in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and was moved to September 2020.
Explaining the decision, Marc Mendelson, president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, said: “The prevention of further spread and the effective containment of Covid-19 is our top priority. The people who attend the ICID are critical to the national, regional, and international response to the epidemic and are needed at home in order to engage with and protect their own communities.”
Control, alternate, quick shift?
If Soh advocated online meetings, why didn’t ABMLPS convert its March meeting into a web conference then?
“To move an event online, especially one that is the scale of a main congress, would require the establishment of supporting infrastructure and specialists, and these can be a costly undertaking for just one activity. Furthermore, time is needed for preparations,” Soh explained.
Octavio Peralta, founder & CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE) and president of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizations (APFAO), said associations hoping to use virtual/online events as an alternative during this period must be resource-ready – Internet connectivity, hardware and human capability must all be considered and be available.
“Unfortunately, readiness has been wanting,” said Peralta.
Soh opined that a “bite-size approach” would be more realistic for associations new to online event formats – such as converting a small seminar into a webinar, “as such events would be easier and faster to execute”.
“The Covid-19 outbreak is actually a good opportunity for associations that do not have online events now to start looking into this. Once they start, they can consider adopting online events again even in good times,” she added.
Jane Vong Holmes, senior manager – Asia, GainingEdge, a consultancy specialising in the business events industry, agreed. “It can be quite challenging to move an entire congress online. Some congresses are more complex than others as well,” she said.
“However, if time is of the essence, association committees or board meetings involving only a small number of executives can meet remotely. The technology available is varied, advanced and will serve the purpose well,” added Holmes.
And should associations consider taking their congresses online, Holmes suggested that they should be hybrid arrangements, with face-to-face content built alongside some live streaming for those unable to attend in person.
Richard Roocroft, general manager of Interprefy Asia Pacific & Japan, remarked that “the first step towards any new technology adoption is always the hardest”.
Interprefy specialises in multilingual remote simultaneous interpreting for live and online conferences, meetings and events, using a flexible, scalable and premium cloud platform.
“Once an organisation does get started on an online event or webinar, subsequent ones become far easier to implement,” Roocroft said.
Interprefy’s remote interpretation expertise was roped in to support the USANA Australia Kick Off 2020 event, which was moved online due to mounting concerns over Covid-19 developments among organisers and delegates. More than half of the delegation were also supposed to come from China.
With Interprefy having seen an increase in the engagement of live streaming and remote simultaneous interpreting services since the spread of the coronavirus, Roocroft said the number of new deals will “in the near future surpass the amount of (live event) business that was lost due to event cancellations and postponements”.
Not a total replacement
While an online conference may help associations fulfil their constitutional need to meet during challenging times, Holmes emphasised that it cannot be a complete replacement for live meetings.
“The best part of a convention is the face-to-face opportunities it provides its participants so they can make new contacts and/or strengthen their existing relationships. A webinar, while able to deliver education and knowledge, will not be able to fulfill this highly rated benefit from attending a meeting,” she said.
“People endure traffic jams to go to a football match on a hot and humid night when they can get a better view of every kick from their armchair because the live experience cannot be duplicated online.”
And it is precisely the value of live interaction that led Iain Bitran, executive director of The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM), to determine that online meetings are simply “out of the question” even though 80 per cent of his association’s revenue is derived from its events around the world.
Bitran: connecting people is the greatest value associations offer their members
“Associations need to get their people to meet – that has to be one of their goals, if not the major goal. Connecting people is the greatest value associations offer their members,” Bitran said.
“Human beings are social creatures. You won’t get the same level of interaction online. Many ideas happen because people meet, say something to each other and spark something off. You won’t get that through a virtual conference,” he added.
Despite losing a large number of concerned delegates who fear infection and whose travel has been curtailed by their companies, Bitran said the Board is determined to proceed with the ISPIM Connect Bangkok conference as planned from March 1 to 4 this year.
“Why should we cancel? We are following the facts; we are looking at what the World Health Organization is saying. Borders are still open. Today, we had a delegate who told us that the Thai government is going to stop people from travelling and meeting. So I contacted TCEB (Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau), and they clarified that wasn’t true. Event organisers may cancel voluntarily but there are no government restrictions on events,” he said, adding that simply cancelling events based on fake news is “devastating” for those whose livelihood depends on business events and tourism.
The 10th Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE) will also proceed as planned this April in Manila.
Association co-founder PC Wong said an online alternative was not considered “due to the nature and structure of our congresses”, although “attendance may be affected somewhat” by outbreak and transmission concerns.
“We are in the midst of drawing up plans to ensure delegates’ well-being are taken care of during the congress,” he added.
Impact on revenue
When asked how ISPIM’s revenue for 2020 would be affected by reduced attendance – and therefore reduced fee takings – at its Bangkok meeting, Bitran said the association has many other events to finance its overall operations.
“Most of what we make comes from our Innovation Conference, which will take place in Berlin as planned (in June),” he added.
The XXXI ISPIM Innovation Conference in Berlin is expected to attract 700 innovation professionals from 50 countries, and deliver more than 250 presentations, more than 25 workshops and six innovation tours in Berlin over three days.
Soh said most associations these days are aware of the need to diversify their revenue streams, and few would rely entirely on conference revenues or a single event to power their entire operations.
As such, it was unlikely that the Covid-19 outbreak alone will threaten the survival of associations.
She explained: “There are two main types of professional associations. There are those that are run on a pro bono basis. They have low overheads and rely on contract PCOs to manage their meetings. They are nimble and will be able to survive even without a main meeting for a year. The other kind of associations are the professional ones, with in-house staff and often a large headcount too. Such associations, often found in the US and Europe, have a sophisticated revenue stream, and will be quite insulated from crisis-induced event cancellation.”
ABLPS falls into the first category, said Soh, adding that her association “will be fine” even with two cancelled events in the first half of 2020.
However, for associations that have yet to move with the times, the outbreak’s impact on event continuation will be a painful reminder for them to diversify revenue streams.
Regional network shines
If there was one key takeaway from the Covid-19’s impact on meetings, Bitran and Peralta said it was the importance of having a network of local or regional speakers and partners that associations can lean on when sudden hiccups occur.
Peralta said: “Associations must allocate resources to start developing local talents and speakers to be self-reliant and not dependent on sourcing imported expertise.”
Fear of Covid-19 infections led to a few keynote speakers withdrawing from ISPIM Connect Bangkok, but the association was able to “quickly fill up the holes” by calling in favours from supportive partners in Asia.
“It is always good sense to have a strong local or regional network. If you have European speakers pulling out of your Asian conference at the last minute, you don’t reach far out for replacements; the nearest replacements are easier to secure, provided there’s something in it for them,” he concluded.
Bangkok-based Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has appointed Bryan Gabriel as CCO.
In his new role, Gabriel will oversee the group’s sales and marketing department, implementing the most effective ways and systems to support the brand’s expansion.
Having worked with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) for 15 years, Gabriel was most recently the head of commercial for America at IHG.
He has also served in a variety of other leadership roles with the hotel group, including the director of sales and marketing at InterContinental Jakarta, general manager of Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island, and director of commercial for IHG South West Asia.
Some 500 researchers from around the world in the fields of atmospheric peat science, environment, hydrologists, biochemistry, soil science and meteorologists will be arriving in Kuching’s – the state capital of Sarawak – for the AsiaFlux 2020 conference this September.
Held from September 22-24, the three-day conference has been themed The Nexus of Land Use Change, Ecosystems & Climate: A Path towards Sustainable Development Goals. The conference will also act as a platform to raise awareness on the importance of greenhouse gas cycles in guiding sustainable land use policies in the region and its global impact.
AsiaFlux is a regional research network involved in the long-term study of climate change in relation to carbon, water and energy fluxes between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere in Asia. From there, scientific data is generated, which will then be analysed, and used to develop a science-based land-use policy to support land-use management and biomass production in mitigating climate change, human life and sustainable development in Asia.
AsiaFlux is affiliated to the global Fluxnet network of micrometeorological tower sites of which there are more than 500 operating around the world.
Lulie Melling, organising chairman of AsiaFlux 2020, shared: “Hosting the AsiaFlux 2020 Conference is testimony of the global recognition of Sarawak government’s commitment to climate change and getting world accreditation for the Sarawak Flux Tower Study. This is the only state in Malaysia which has as many as three Flux towers, two of which are located in Betong and Sibu.”
Melling – who is also the director of Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Insitute – added: “It is also a great opportunity for young scientists from South-east Asia to network with leaders in the field of carbon, water and energy cycles and avail themselves to the latest in greenhouse gas flux measurements.”
Melling: event to bring global attention to Sarawak Flux Tower Study
The conference is jointly organised by the Malaysian Peat Society, Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute and AsiaFlux Science Steering Committee in collaboration with the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan; Hokkaido University; Malaysian Palm Oil Board; Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, and Malaysian Research and Development Institute.
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG) have decided to launch HITEC Asia this December in Macau.
HITEC Asia joins other HITEC conferences in Europe and the US, a series of events that bring hospitality professionals together for education, networking, best practices, innovation and exclusive marketplaces.
HITEC conferences are held in many cities around the world; HITEC Minneapolis 2019 pictured
“The HITEC brand of conferences is celebrating its 48th year and has become known as the place to learn about and purchase hospitality technology around the globe,” said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe.
“After years of requests from stakeholders to bring the HITEC brand to Asia, HFTP is excited to announce this event and also very pleased to have HTNG as co-producers for this new venture.”
HITEC Asia is expected to attract over 300 hoteliers and feature some of the best technology suppliers in the region. It will also conduct educational seminars presented by global experts and leading-edge innovation pitches from regional start ups.
“HTNG has been successful in the region for over a decade solving industry standards problems and developing best practices,” said HTNG CEO Mike Blake.
“Due to the strength of HFTP’s HITEC brand and HTNG’s success and network in the region, we mutually decided that our nonprofit organizations could make a much larger impact by teaming up for a stellar conference and exhibition,” Blake added.
Come March 16, Chinese ride-hailing giant DiDi will launch ride-sharing services in Sydney, Australia with DiDi Express (carpooling) and Didi Max (seven-seater) services.
Getting around Sydney will be even easier with the entry of a new ride-hailing service
DiDi Australia general manager Lyn Ma said: “We are eager to work alongside local stakeholders in the Sydney transportation industry, using leading AI technologies and local operational expertise to innovate and build a better, trusted product with the aim of becoming Sydney’s preferred ridesharing platform.”
The company first moved into the Australian market in May 2018. So far, it has served more than two million passengers in seven cities across four states.
Avani Central Busan Hotel has opened in the heart of Busan’s financial centre.
There are 289 rooms across seven categories on offer, where guestrooms feature either city or mountain views. Room amenities include flatscreen TVs, free Wi-Fi, rain showers, and tea and coffee making stations.
Business travellers may avail facilities such as a meeting room, as well as The Lobby Lounge which doubles up as a casual meeting area. There is also an all-day dining restaurant that serves Korean and international fare, as well as a 24-hour gym.
The hotel is directly connected to the Busan subway system and is a 15-minute drive to Korean Train Express (KTX) stop and international cruise terminal.
Three giraffes roam a protected national park in Kenya, Africa
Asia hots up The hallmarks of a hot meetings destination have shifted as demand for bleisure and unique events is on the rise, and Asia has taken centrestage. Due to increased sourcing volume to the region, Cvent last year unveiled two standalone Top 25 Meeting Destinations lists for Asia, and Australia & Oceania. The expanded list highlights Asia-Pacific’s strength and growing popularity as a destination for business events.
Singapore skyline
Topping the rankings was Singapore, followed by Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Bali and Mumbai. The list reflects how Asia-Pacific cities have enhanced their infrastructure and positioned their destination as prime event locations, noted Chris McAndrews, vice president of marketing for Cvent Hospitality Cloud.
“For example, Bangkok, which moved up one spot on this year’s list, has elevated its MICE profile with support from the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau in hosting industry-facing events such as its first Thailand MICE Forum. The destination has seen incredible investment in luxury hotels in recent years, offers great value, and the country delivers on desirable offerings including unique culture, world-class dining and shopping, vibrant nightlife, and some of the best beaches in the world,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the 2020 Summer Olympics has cast a spotlight on Tokyo, which has in turn boosted its room hotel inventory and tourist facilities. While infrastructure and accessibility have traditionally been critical in pulling events, these alone are no longer enough as “event organisers are looking for different locales to deliver more memorable events and offer their delegates a truly unique experience”, observed McAndrews.
Instead, next year will see demand strengthen for bleisure and unique events, which may serve to shake up the top 25 list as planners look to unexplored destinations.
McAndrews predicted: “Event organisers will now look beyond accessibility (and consider) if a particular destination can deliver a more exclusive cultural experience. For example, Pasay City in the Philippines, which is new to the list this year, could see even more traction in the years ahead as 9,000 additional rooms across hotels and serviced apartments open by 2021.
“We’re keeping our eye on other cities that are new to the list this year including Osaka, Hanoi and Chiba. It will also be interesting to see if Nadi in Fiji, which came in at number 10 on the Australia/Oceania Top 10 list, will continue to rise in rank within the Australia-heavy list.” – Pamela Chow
Allures beyond Asia Los Angeles Spurred by increased connectivity and expanding attractions, Los Angeles (LA) Tourism & Convention Board has launched the LA Insider Specialist Program in Asia to equip trade agents with destination facts, products and updates.
The programme provides agents with incentives for completing courses, such as vouchers and attraction tickets, as well updates on LA’s upcoming attractions.
The following years will see several new points of interest in the destination, including The Academy Museum in 2020; the LA Stadium, which will open in 2020 and host the 2022 Super Bowl; 30 new hotels in the next four years; as well as new and expanded airport terminals before the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.
To this end, Los Angeles Tourism’s regional director for Australia/New Zealand Craig Gibbons’ portfolio has been expanded to also oversee Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam – in addition to Australia and New Zealand – in August 2019.
Panoramic view of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) debuted at ITB Asia 2019, led by CEO Florian Sengstschmid, to explore collaborative opportunities with Asia’s travel agencies and encourage travellers to explore the country’s rich blend of modernity and antiquity through its Take Another Look campaign.
In Asia, China and India are Azerbaijan’s biggest visitor source markets, while South Korea and Japan have posted a strong increase in overnights. In response, ATB is set to open a marketing office in Seoul.
For South-east Asia, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia are on the radar for ATB.
More recently, Azerbaijan implemented a simplified e-visa procedure that is available to Thai and Vietnamese travellers. Singaporeans, Malaysians and Indonesians are eligible for visa upon arrival.
However, destination promotions are still nascent, admitted the NTO chief, as the former Soviet state looks towards tourism as a new economic revenue generator following sharp declines in global oil prices in recent years. ATB itself, Sengstschmid said, was only founded in 2018.
Malta Tourism arrivals to Malta have traditionally been dominated by European markets, with the UK, Germany and Italy as forerunners. However, recent economic and political issues in Europe have spurred the island to look towards the Far East to expand visitorship.
As part of its latest efforts to court Asians, Malta struck up a partnership with Manchester United Football Club as an official destination partner. The agreement, inked in September 2019, sees Malta being featured as the “players’ destination of choice” during the club’s overseas events, as the country is a popular holiday spot among the players and home to the oldest active Manchester United supporters’ club. Such a partnership would be effective in Asia, where Manchester United is a household name, and can lend its star power to the destination.
Malta has also been added to Qatar Airways’ roster of flights, which can bring even more travellers from Asia. The destination has also recently signed a MoU with four Chinese tour operators.
Three giraffes roam a protected national park in Kenya, Africa
Kenya Though small in numbers, South-east Asia is a high-yield travel market for Kenya and its tourism board has taken notice.
Kenya Tourism Board’s chairman, Jimi Kariuki shared that his bureau is engaging several airlines in talks for direct flights to the region. The only destination that Kenya Airways flies to in South-east Asia today is Bangkok.
For now, Kenya is targeting the FIT market and small private groups, and showcasing its core tourism draws: its wildlife safari and pristine beaches, and its two large cities, Nairobi and Mombasa. The board is also looking at engaging local destination experts in key markets it has identified – Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The year 2018 saw around 90,000 tourists from South-east Asia, a 25 per cent growth over 2017. – Rachel AJ Lee
John Woolley has joined The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, as general manager.
He brings over 20 years of experience with Marriott International to his new role, where his career has taken him around the globe.
Prior to his move, Woolley was general manager at Courtyard by Marriott Bali Seminyak Resort from 2015 to 2019.
The dual US/UK national’s career highlights include positions of area director of sales and marketing, South Asia and then the Caribbean. In addition, Woolley also launched a sales engine – the European Convention Network – that supports Marriott’s large group hotels in Europe before his move to Bali.
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.
