Located on a private island connected by bridge to Onna, on the west coast of Okinawa, the Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island Okinawa offers 344 guestrooms.
A Standard Room measures 38m2 in size and comes with a lagoon view or ocean view, while a Premium Room, featuring a corner position, is 51m2; there are also six suites. Guests staying in a Suite or Club Access Room are also afforded access to the Regency Club Lounge.
Hotel facade
For functions, there are five ocean-view banquet rooms on-site. The smallest, at 60m2, can accommodate 30 pax in banquet- or classroom-style and 35–40 pax reception-style. The largest is 150m2, with capacity for 80 pax in any format. A pre-function room is also available for hire. Meanwhile, the 24-key Beach House across from the main hotel can be booked in its entirety for groups.
These meeting spaces are complemented by six dining destinations. Guests can also enjoy drinks at the Lobby Lounge, Lobby Bar, Firepit Terrace or Poolside Bar. Recreational facilities include an indoor and outdoor pool, lagoon, Spa Hanari, fitness centre, and activities such as morning yoga and stand-up paddleboarding.
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has recently welcomed Allen Khoo as resident manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore.
In his new role, he will support general manager Tane Picken in the group’s first Shangri-La hotel. As resident manager, Khoo will be responsible for overseeing the operations and driving optimal guest experiences across Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, Shangri-La Apartments and Shangri-La Residences.
Khoo joins the flagship hotel with more than 13 years of hotel leadership and hospitality management experience in Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts across Malaysia, China and Taiwan.
Prior to his move to Singapore, he was the resident manager in Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa, Kota Kinabalu, from May 2017.
Hot idea Bring technology into the programme, such as projection mapping, to enhance creative delivery
Event brief
In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Business Events Sydney (BESydney) organised a four-day familiarisation trip for key prospects and clients from its core markets in Asia, namely, China, India and Japan. Besides strengthening ties with these trade partners, the event was also an avenue for the destination marketer to showcase new products and experiences in Sydney and its surrounds to inspire future incentive events.
BESydney worked with a host of local industry suppliers, strategic partners and government agencies to pull off a spectacular show that would also convince clients who had already visited Sydney that this destination warranted repeat visits.
Highlights
BESydney took the familiarisation trip to a whole new personalised level. After conquering the world-famous Harbour Bridge, delegates were treated to a panoramic view of an art and light projection show on the sails of the Sydney Opera House, as the day of their climb coincided with Vivid Sydney, an annual festival of light, music and ideas.
Another highlight was the welcome dinner-in-the-dark hosted in Luna Park, which featured projection mapping technology to deliver a multisensory dining experience. Projected designs changed along with the programme and presentation of food.
The closing dinner was memorable too, one that was infused with Aboriginal elements on Goat Island. It came with a surprise performance by the Australian Girls Choir and a dazzling explosion of fireworks over the Harbour Bridge to conclude the event.
BESydney’s efforts yielded positive payoffs: Delegates spoke of their newfound good impression of Sydney, and discovery of fun experiences in Sydney’s suburbs that they did not think were possible before. Think sand dune quad biking in Port Stephens and horse riding at a ranch within a two-hour drive from Sydney.
Challenges
This was one of BESydney’s biggest fam trips, in terms of participant numbers and investment dollars, according to BESydney’s regional director for Asia, Sinead Yeo.
“It’s not always easy to combine different markets together into one core programme. We worked around that by splitting the various markets up into different activity groups. For example, the Indian group visited the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground and spent time with (Australian) cricketing legend Stuart MacGill, while the Japanese contingent went to Manly Beach, as beaches were high on their requests,” she said.
To overcome the other major challenge of catering to the food preferences of different nationalities, BESydney arranged for separate dining experiences. During combined dining sessions, organisers opted for an array of Asian and vegetarian offerings to tickle everyone’s taste buds. BESydney also impressed with its swift response to last-minute requests. One chilly day after scaling the Sydney Harbour Bridge, it had its scheduled restaurant prepare a hot soup within 30 minutes, in time for the arrival of all groups.
Event BESydney 50th Anniversary Sydney Familiarisation Organiser Business Events Sydney Event company Business Events Sydney Venue Various hotels and attractions in Sydney and regional NSW Date May 26-30, 2019 Attendance 21 corporate clients, travel agents and media
IBTM Asia Pacific provides a gateway to the APAC meetings, incentives, conferences and events market.
Meet with a curated mix of industry suppliers and pre-qualified hosted buyers and be inspired by content that will elevate your events.
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Gain insights and inspiration for your next event from our leading sector experts who will be delivering the latest industry updates.
The renowned Singapore MICE Forum (SMF) comes to IBTM Asia Pacific this April. This will include a combination of dynamic talks, campfire sessions and case studies from event experts across the world.
The Forum will be structured around five key themes; Innovation, technology design, sustainability and event trends
Don’t miss the latest updates in your own language, with the introduction of Interprefy, a real-time interpreting service.
Industry Suppliers
Discover the latest and greatest products and services in events all under one roof.
Meet with leading event suppliers such as: New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Dubai, Cuba, Netherlands, Portugal and many more.
Supplier Types:
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Networking Events
Join a number of exclusive networking events around your business appointments, where you will have the opportunity to engage with new prospects and catch up with industry peers.
Monday 6th of April 2020
To celebrate the launch of IBTM APAC we invite you to a party at the Mandarin Oriental pool with stunning 360 degree views of the iconic Marina Bay.
Wednesday 8th of April 2020
To end the party in style we invite you onto the Genting Cruise Ship, Dream. Taking place at the Zouk Beach Club
Create, Connect and Inspire at IBTM Asia Pacific.
Click here to register now Click here to find out more about our Hosted Buyer programme
From left: Accor's Victor Pang and Patrick Basset; and Star Convention Hotel's Phisamai Supanuntaroek, Pong Supanuntaroek, and Pat Supanuntaroek
Accor has signed an agreement to manage the Star Convention Hotel in the city centre of Rayong province, Thailand.
Aside from being rebranded into the Novotel Rayong Star Convention Centre this year, the property will also undergo a major renovation of its public areas, dining outlets and 235 guestrooms in the first phase followed by another 336 guestrooms in the second phase over the next two years.
From left: Accor’s Victor Pang and Patrick Basset; and Star Convention Hotel’s Phisamai Supanuntaroek, Pong Supanuntaroek, and Pat Supanuntaroek
In total, the property will offer 571 keys, alongside facilities such as eight meeting spaces – the largest can hold 2,000 people theatre-style – and an outdoor swimming pool.
The hotel is situated in the hub of one of Thailand’s major agricultural and industrial provinces, and is approximately 2.5-hour drive from Suvarnabhumi International Airport and an hour’s drive from U-Tapao International Airport.
“We’re very excited to have the Star Convention Hotel join the Accor network and to grow our portfolio in a city like Rayong. We believe that the Eastern Seaboard, including provinces like Rayong, Chonburi, Trat, with the upcoming high-speed train route will offer excellent development opportunities in the future,” said Patrick Basset, chief operating officer of Accor for Upper Southeast & Northeast Asia and the Maldives.
“The signing of our partnership with Accor also reflects our confidence in Rayong’s tourism industry and the East Economic Corridor (EEC) Policy,” added Phisamai Supanuntaroek, director of Star Convention Hotel.
Accor operates over 86 hotels in Thailand, with a pipeline of 13 hotels scheduled to open over the next three years. The group currently manages a portfolio of 158 Novotel hotels across the Asia Pacific region.
Cosmopack Asia at AsiaWorld-Expo is home to all kinds of pack and original equipment manufacturer suppliers
Hot idea
Offer buyer-centric incentives along with a telemarketing campaign to boost buyer count
Cosmopack Asia at AsiaWorld-Expo is home to all kinds of pack and original equipment manufacturer suppliers
Brief
Launched in 1996, Cosmoprof Asia is the region’s leading B2B international beauty trade show. With the “1 Fair 2 Venues” formula introduced since 2016, Cosmopack Asia at AsiaWorld-Expo is home to all kinds of pack and original equipment manufacturer suppliers, while Cosmoprof Asia at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre housed exhibitors of finished products.
The 24th edition of the show, like other Hong Kong-based events, faced the ongoing protests and social unrest which began in June 2019. But despite ongoing protests and social unrest, the 2019 edition was held as per normal. In fact, last year’s tradeshow grew five per cent compared to 2018 in terms of exhibition area.
Highlights
To drive innovation and enrich the experience of attendees, Mimi Yeung, senior project manager, said the MEXME Factory showcased the development and production of a revolutionary all-in-one cosmetic tool, designed by international design agency centdegrés, in collaboration with leading companies exhibiting at Cosmopack Asia.
Meanwhile, Cosmolab, the project done in partnership with Opal Cosmetics, focused on aromatherapy and fragrances, where visitors learnt how different scents can influence emotions, Yeung shared.
CosmoTalks sessions across both venues provided market updates and insights, while Cosmotrends Gallery showcased the most interesting products and the upcoming trends of the beauty community.
Lastly, the Cosmoprof and Cosmopack Asia Awards Ceremony held on November 13 celebrated the most outstanding products and industrial solutions.
Challenges
The unprecedented situation in Hong Kong made visiting for foreigners challenging in 2019 across all industries.
Yeung commented: “Still, Cosmoprof Asia is an important event for business and trading for the beauty industry and has many stakeholders counting on the show to continue in November. The challenge was how to create a safe and efficient environment for all participants.
To assure the safety and security of attendees, measures introduced included tightened access control, increasing the number of security staff, monitoring real-time protests, updating attendees on the latest situation in Hong Kong, and making special transport arrangements.
Alice Suen, event director, Cosmoprof Asia, commented: “The saying ‘tide over the difficult times’ best describes our mindset. With the extremely fluid situation and the unprecedented challenge, it was really tough.”
Several enticing ideas were also implemented, such as offering buyer-centric incentives with 10,000 complimentary hotel room nights available to buyers nominated by exhibitors, and hotel sponsorship for some 300 VIP buyers from South-east Asia and China. A massive telemarketing campaign targeting 30,000 Asian and global buyers was also mounted.
Regardless, she attributed the show’s success to the relentless momentum of the staff and the high level of dedication and professionalism of the different local and overseas planning to successfully deliver Cosmoprof Asia.
Event Cosmoprof Asia and Cosmopack Asia Organiser BolognaFiere Group and Informa Markets Venue Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (Cosmoprof Asia) and AsiaWorld-Expo (Cosmopack Asia) Date November 13-15, 2019 (Cosmoprof Asia) and November 12-14, 2019 (Cosmopack Asia) Attendance 2,955 exhibitors from 48 countries and 40,046 visitors from 129 countries
With less than a year to go until its October 2020 launch, Expo 2020 Dubai stakeholders are leaving no stone unturned in promoting the city for “the world’s greatest show” that will be held from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
Sumathi Ramanathan, director of destination marketing at Expo 2020 Dubai, hopes the six-month-long mega event will be a showcase of “the Olympics of culture, innovation, design and human excellence” and present Dubai as “a destination with a purpose”.
The Mobility Pavilion will focus on human progress through the physical and digital realms
Expo 2020 is also set to be “a record-breaking expo” in many parameters, she stated. As the first World Expo to take place in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region in the event’s 168-year history, Expo 2020 Dubai expects to welcome 192 participating countries and 25 million visitors – 70 per cent of which is projected to be international.
Big architecture names the likes of Santiago Calatrava, and Foster and Partners are some the creative forces behind the globe-trotting range of pavilions, which have been themed along the lines of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability across the 4.4km2 site, said Ramanathan.
The site’s centrepiece will be the Al Wasl Plaza, which will boast a dual projection screen, while other iconic landmarks include the Al Forson Park, which is conceived as a venue for major entertainment events and concerts. In addition, the expo site will feature a brand-new metro station.
A vibrant roster of 60-plus live events each day, from A-list concerts to light shows, will guarantee that Expo 2020 Dubai is “bustling throughout 365 days”, which comes on top of 200-plus F&B venues serving up a globe-trotting plate of experiences in one destination, said Ramanathan.
Another exciting aspect is the National Day celebrations of the 192 participating countries each day from January 13 to April 8, 2021.
A raft of experiences also await business travellers at the mega site, which will set the stage for a best-in-class business week featuring TED-style talks, exhibitions, forums and workshops, she added.
With such a dynamic programme, Ramanathan is hopeful that Expo 2020 Dubai will overturn perceptions of world expos as “tradeshows or for business travellers only”.
Working alongside the tourism entities in the UAE, Expo 2020 Dubai has mapped out a two-pronged global strategy to drive international visitation, with an international consumer marketing campaign just launched across 30 key markets, while a B2B2C approach will be undertaken to collaborate with some 4,000 industry partners across key source markets worldwide.
“An authorised ticket reseller programme has been launched to enable the trade to bundle and package the UAE, inclusive of Expo 2020 Dubai, as a unique experience”, informed Ramanathan. Europe, China and India have been identified as top 10 visitor markets for the expo, while Singapore and Malaysia have been recognised as priority markets in South-east Asia, she added.
“We are interested in working with the trade in growth and frontier markets to co-create campaigns with them. Instead of going direct to consumers, we feel there is an opportunity for us to engage very closely with the OTAs or tour operators and travel agents to create consumer awareness campaigns with them,” revealed Ramanathan. “We have set aside funding for co-op marketing, and we’re also providing fam trips to agents and a whole raft of training materials to help them sell the expo.”
Corporate visitation will be another market Expo 2020 Dubai is keen to attract. “Incentive providers now get a six-month-only opportunity to bring corporate clients to a venue no one else has brought them to before,” said Ramanathan. Not only will the expo site have several venues that can be privatised for corporate events, she added that teambuilding, incentives and meetings can be easily organised on the grounds, which also boast the 48,000m2 Dubai Exhibition Centre.
The response from the trade has been “fantastic”, said Ramanathan. “We have quite a number of enquiries from specialised groups. For example, architectural itineraries are proving to be very popular with architectural associations; we have interest from fintech industry for tours to look at movement of data and artificial intelligence; and interest from businesses looking at sustainable resourcing, climate change, etc. All these topics are being explored at the world expo.
The diverse offerings clearly make Expo 2020 Dubai a “bleisure” destination, she stated. The agency has received “excited” reactions from the trade looking to create itineraries for families, stopovers for honeymooners, students, as well as “considerable interest” from niche and specialist tour operators in food, art and entertainment seeking to “expand their business opportunities”.
When asked if this mega event will help to enable the Middle East to shed its stopover image, Ramanathan said: “Expo 2020 Dubai gives good reason for the world to stop in the UAE and see the world in the UAE.”
FCM Travel Solutions has made a minority investment in Shep, a browser extension technology that assists companies with better management of travel purchased outside of corporate travel policies.
By monitoring activity on more than 70 consumer travel sites, Shep’s technology will help companies improve savings, compliance and safety. In addition to tracking, Shep’s advanced browser extension approach can also enforce policy at point of sale and link to client analytics and duty of care programmes.
A screenshot from the Shep website
FCM plans to incorporate Shep’s technology into the next generation of its platform offering, joining similar investments and acquisitions made by companies such as Sam :], FCM’s 24-hour personal travel assistant on mobile; and 30SecondsToFly with its AI-powered chat booking platform.
John Morhous, CEO of FCM, said in a statement: “We’re excited to leverage some of this technology into our platforms, as we feel the browser extension is a simple and elegant solution to a problem many of our customers face, which is gaining visibility overspend on travel that happens outside of the managed programmes they provide.”
According to PhocusWire, Shep was founded in 2016, and counts Capital Factory, Moonshots Capital, Plug and Play and former Travelocity Business president Ellen Keszler among its investors.
American Society of Association Executives’s (ASAE) president and CEO John H Graham has passed away after an extended battle with cancer.
Graham was a transformative leader for ASAE and a mentor to many in the association community. During his tenure, which began August 1, 2003, ASAE more than doubled its membership and developed a wealth of innovative products and services to benefit association professionals and their partners.
John H Graham
Before ASAE, Graham served the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in Alexandria, Virginia, for 24 years, the last 13 as CEO. During his tenure as CEO, ADA quadrupled in size, from US$50 million to US$200 million in annual revenues and successfully moved from 53 independent, separately incorporated affiliate organisations to one nationwide organization with one staff, one budget and one plan.
Before joining ADA, Graham served the Boy Scouts of America for nine years. In May 2015, he was recognised by the Boy Scouts of America as a Distinguished Eagle Scout.
Graham also served on the Association Committee of 100, US Chamber of Commerce; as chairman of the Mobile Giving Foundation board of directors; on the board of directors of the Lambda Chi Alpha Foundation; and as president of the National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.
The Graham family will hold a private service for him in Pennsylvania, and a memorial service in Washington, DC, will follow.
With Graham’s passing, the ASAE Board has announced that Susan Robertson will continue to serve as interim president and CEO of ASAE.
CWT, the B2B4E travel management platform, has named Dale Eastlund vice president, supply chain partners.
A 20-year veteran of CWT, Eastlund oversees CWT’s strategy and commercial relationships with supply chain partners. He reports to Vincent Chirico, senior vice president, global supply chain partners.
In his new role, Eastlund and his team will work closely with online booking tools (OBTs) and other third-party platforms to further enhance the online booking experience for travellers and travel managers.
Prior to his new role, Eastlund laid the groundwork for CWT’s strategy to effectively respond to the challenges and opportunities of the airline industry’s New Distribution Capability (NDC), in his role as senior director for third party aggregators and, prior to that, senior director for online booking tools.
He was also instrumental in setting up CWT’s Solutions Group, the data analytics and consulting arm of CWT, in January 2000, and led CWT Solutions Group for the Americas. Eastlund also spent four years with CWT’s Customer Organization team where he successfully managed the company’s largest commercial account.
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.
