Oakwood has promoted Lina Abdullah to the role of regional general manager, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand.
This dual-role is in addition to her current position as general manager of Oakwood Hotel & Residence Sri Racha in Chonburi, Thailand.
In her new capacity, Abdullah will oversee a cluster of six operating properties in Thailand, as well as pre-opening projects in Cambodia and Myanmar, while maintaining the growth of Oakwood’s portfolio in these countries.
Abdullah began her Oakwood journey in March 2015, where she was tasked to manage the former Oakwood Residence Garden Towers Bangna, Bangkok, with her remit including the Bangna Convention Center and Food Camp by Oakwood. She went on to open Oakwood Hotel & Residence Sri Racha in 2017.
Prior to joining Oakwood, Abdullah was with Onyx Hospitality Group where she was the general manager responsible for opening the Amari Dhaka in Bangladesh in 2014.
She first began her hospitality career with an eight-year tenure at Marriott properties in Malaysia and the UK. While in the UK, she joined Thistle City Barbican in London as hotel manager before being promoted to acting general manager. Abdullah accepted her first general manager role at Holiday Inn Northampton West in Northampton, before venturing to the Middle East to open the Holiday Villa in Bahrain in the same capacity.
A sleepy mountainous island south of Hiroshima, Shikoku is looking to the upcoming Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in May to bring in a stream of events and meetings, with its tourism board and stakeholders gearing up to raise awareness of the island’s many charms.
This comes as the nearing Games are expected to drive up crowd density and hotel prices in Tokyo, a concern that may potentially turn business away from Japan altogether, expressed Tadashi Kaneko, executive vice president, Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO).
Kikugetsu Tei teahouse in Ritsurin Garden
To mitigate this impact, JNTO is focusing on promoting local gems in outlying regions through a 100 Experiences in Japan book. One of such hidden destinations is Shikoku, which comprises four prefectures: Ehime, Kochi, Kagawa and Tokushima.
Rolling out the welcome mat
Kagawa Prefecture’s Takamatsu is one of Shikoku’s main cities that have carved out space for hosting business events and exhibitions.
Located along the Seto Inland Sea, Takamatsu has come to be known for its maritime transportation industry. The city offers planners the Sunport Takamatsu convention centre, which houses a main hall with 1,500 seats, two small halls, 12 meeting rooms, as well as an exhibition space. Recent notable events held here include the 27th National Ambulance-crew Symposium in January 2019 for more than 6,000 pax; the 2018 joint 14th iCACGP Symposium and 15th IGAC Science Conference; and the G7 ICT Ministers’ Meeting in 2016.
Conventional venues are not the only locations of interest in Takamatsu, as the city is populated with historical and cultural facilities available for event use. These include Hiunkaku, the second house of the 12th feudal lord of Takamatsu; outdoor museum and Kabuki theatre Shikoku-Mura at the foot of Mt Yashima; and the scenic Ritsurin Garden, where the conserved Sanuki Guest House and Kikugetsu-tei Teahouse are available for conference and meeting bookings.
The Sanuki Guest House, also known as the Commerce and Industry Promotion Hall, hosted the G7 Summit’s luncheon.
Kagawa Prefectural Government and the Takamatsu City Convention and Visitors Bureau provides financial assistance worth up to 10,000,000 yen (US$91,108) to support incoming conventions and other events.
Kagawa International Hall, the main venue of the G7 ICT Ministers’ Meeting in Takamatsu, Kagawa
A good mix of business and leisure
Meanwhile, the city of Kochi is hoping to leverage its strength as a holiday destination to build up its business event appeal.
Taichiro Oogi, staff, department of inbound tourism, Kochi Visitors & Convention Association, lamented: “We do not have enough facilities, and we have not had any big and international business events yet. Kochi has always been a leisure destination.”
However, Kochi’s leisure appeal makes it ideal as a pre- and post-event destination for corporate groups. Kochi Visitors & Convention Association has collaborated with Singapore-based ABCDE Fitness on a marathoner package that includes flights, accommodation at the new Mont Bell Mountain Lodge, warm-up sessions with a local running group, passes for the Kochi Ryoma Marathon in February 2020, private tours and workshops, and a dinner party with local residents.
Such creative collaborations are essential to attract visitors today, opined Takanori Asai, deputy director, Kochi Representative Office in Singapore.
He expressed: “It has become really hard to promote a destination through traditional means, so we’ve had to come up with new ways to promote Kochi.”
In addition, Taichiro believes that the city would require more promotional efforts and information exchange on the business events front, as well as venue development, before it is able to truly flourish as a business destination.
Thriving connections
Travel to Shikoku is set to become even more accessible, with China Airlines’ flights between Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Takamatsu Airport recently coming online, and a new highway connecting Kochi Regional Airport and Kochi City currently being constructed.
Meanwhile, for companies with a more relaxed travel policy, or corporate travellers who wish to extend their stay in Japan, one option is a programme offered by All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japanese accommodation provider Address. For a flat monthly fee, this partnership offers applicants unlimited nights in Address properties, which are refurbished homes across Japan, as well as two sets of discounted ANA domestic flight tickets every month.
Lim: Malaysian government needs to financially help small- and mid-sized event companies to avoid them going belly up
The Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS) has called on the government for assistance to save the business events industry from going under by making use of two separate funds – the tourism tax fund, and the money set aside for Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign.
As the Visit Malaysia Year 2020 campaign has been deferred, the more than RM2 billion (US$458.2 million) fund meant for the campaign should be reallocated to save the business events industry and help it avoid retrenchments, MACEOS’ president, Vincent Lim, said.
Lim: Malaysian government needs to financially help small- and mid-sized event companies to avoid them going belly up
Currently, Malaysia’s business events industry is reporting RM1.5 billion in losses due to event cancellations and postponements due to Covid-19, Lim shared.
And based on a recent survey by MACEOS, at least 32 per cent of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the business events sector will be forced to wind up if the pandemic stretches beyond June.
“This will have a multiplier effect on the country’s economy if intervention is still not forthcoming despite two stimulus packages. By May or June, another 21 per cent of the business event organisers and related companies will wind up,” stressed Lim in a press statement.
In the worst-case scenario, the survey also showed that only 12 per cent of the companies in the sector will be able to survive beyond six months.
In addition, MACEOS recently submitted its proposal to the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), outlining a number of areas that the government could do to assist the industry to recover.
It proposed that the government cover 75 per cent of workforce salaries and waive an employer’s contribution to the Employees Provident Fund for six months – effective April 1 – and to subsidise exhibition venues in the wake of 2020’s postponement or cancellations.
MACEOS has also requested for a special grant through MyCEB to support local SMEs to bid for more international events to be hosted in Malaysia, and to provide an incentive of RM6,000 per DMC to stimulate more corporate events and encourage incentive group travel to second-tier cities after the dust has settled. The association also called for the establishment of an incubation programme to assist homegrown trade exhibitions, conferences and lifestyle events.
If Covid-19 cannot be contained by April 14, the supposed end-date for Malaysia’s Movement Control Order (MCO), industry stakeholders fear the impact will be even more pronounced.
For example, Jay Ishak, event specialist, trainer and consultant at 6E-Events, shared that a number of teambuilding events and corporate annual dinners have had to be postponed indefinitely which resulted in a delay in payments.
She lamented: “My main worry now is cash flow. We are not generating any income during the MCO, yet there are staff salaries and fixed monthly expenses to pay.”
Eric van Piggelen, CEO, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, shared that the compulsory closing of the centre due to the MCO resulted in 15 events being either cancelled or postponed. He suggested the government should also consider introducing a job retention scheme and an increase in domestic spending to assist recovery.
Anne Arrowsmith has been promoted to corporate general manager for 137 Pillars Hotels & Resorts, which owns and manages two luxury properties in Thailand.
In her new role, Arrowsmith will oversee all aspects of operations for both 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok and 137 Pillars House, reporting directly to the owners and working with them on several potential new properties that are currently under development.
The British national joined the group in 2016 as general manager at the luxury all-suite 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai, which opened in March 2012 and was refurbished in 2019.
Syed: all platforms sit on one system, which makes navigation easy for users
Malaysia-based Sri Sutra Travel is set to launch this May a series of booking platforms aimed to help government bodies, corporate organisations, commercial businesses and travel trade in their travel product acquisition.
Known as CorporateBizTravel, SMEBizTravel, GovBizTravel, and B2BTravelSolutions respectively, these platforms will utilise a cutting edge travel solution powered by TravelCompute, which is Sutra Group’s in-house one-stop travel technology solution provider.
Syed: all platforms sit on one system, which makes navigation easy for users
The CorporateBizTravel platform and the SMEBizTravel platform have basic features of an online booking engine where users are able to book and purchase air tickets, hotel stays, airport transfers, car rental and ancillary services such as visas, baggage insurance and travel insurance among others, all on a single platform without leaving the booking page.
The CorporateBizTravel platform, however, will boast extended features such as traveller profiling, travel approvals, travel policies and detailed analytics and reporting.
Meanwhile, the GovBizTravel booking platform will cater solely to government ministries and authorities, and will make available three payment options for users – via warrant, local order or credit card.
Lastly, the B2BTravelSolution platform acts as a ‘travel office box’ on a platform for the travel trade. A user will be able to use the platform for airline ticketing, hotel reservations, tour package purchases as well as all other related travel arrangements. Also included within the platform is a user-friendly back office system.
Syed Razif Al-Yahya, group managing director and CEO at Sutra Group of Companies, shared: “These platforms are uniquely different in comparison to what is out there, as all required travel arrangements are solely created within one platform. The user does not need to navigate to other platforms (which reduces) confusion and delays.”
The platform is a creation of Octraves Technology, which is within the SUTRA Group of Companies, built in-house and is managed by its chief architect and engineers.
New law proposed to protect individuals, firms whose contracts have been affected by Covid-19
Singapore’s Ministry of Law has announced its intention to introduce a Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Bill.
The Bill will enable companies’ whose businesses have been adversely affected by Covid-19 to seek relief from fulfilling their contractual obligations such as paying rent, paying instalments on bank loans, fulfilling their construction contracts, etc for a period of six months.
New law proposed to protect firms whose contracts have been affected by Covid-19
The Bill covers four areas. Under Part 1 – Temporary Relief for Failure to Perform Contractual Obligations because of Covid-19 are relevant sections for the business events industry.
The key points are:
1. Objectives of the Bill
Fairness
Targeted protection from legal action
Temporary relief
2. Proposed measures
Do not absolve or remove contractual obligations but suspend them for a prescribed period
Relief will be provided for 6 months in the first instance, starting from commencement of Act
Prescribed period of relief may be extended by the Minister
Bill will cease to have effect after one year
3. Contracts covered by Bill
Five broad categories
Excludes contracts entered into on or after March 25, 2020
Covering obligations to be performed on or after February 1, 2020
Includes contracts which the Government is a party to
Categories may be amended by the Minister subsequently through subsidiary legislation
4. Five broad categories of contracts
Leases or licences for non-residential immovable property (e.g. lease for factory premises);
Construction contract or supply contract (e.g. contract for the supply of materials);
Contracts for the provision of goods and services (e.g. venue, catering) for events (e.g. weddings, business meetings);
Certain contracts for goods or services for visitors to Singapore or outbound tourists, or promotion of tourism (e.g. cruises, hotel accommodation bookings); and
Certain loan facilities granted by a bank or a finance company to SMEs.
5. Types of actions prohibited
Court and insolvency proceedings, and enforcement of judgements or arbitration decisions (international arbitrations excluded);
Enforcement of security over immovable property as well as movable property that is used for the purpose of business or trade
Call on a performance bond given pursuant to a construction contract
Termination of lease of non-residential premises
6. Body of Assessors
As a safeguard against unfair outcomes, assessors will be appointed by the Minister for Law to resolve disputes arising from the application of the Act. They will decide if the inability to perform contractual obligations was due to Covid-19 and will have the powers to grant relief that is just and equitable in the circumstances.
Localing Private Tours Melbourne, Australia
Experience an Aboriginal twist to Australian footy. The Marngrook Indigenous Football Workshop will have delegates construct their version of the eponymous ball – known as Australia’s first football, it was orginally made out of possum skin and used by Aboriginal groups in Victoria.
Delegates will learn the marngrook’s history from an indigenous guide, join a football class, then play a footy game at the hallowed Melbourne Cricket Ground. They will finish the day with a Wildlife After Dark experience with the owner of Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Park, where they can get up close with some of Australia’s most beloved animals. There are opportunities to feed kangaroos, cuddle and take selfies with koalas, or take dingos for a walk. Capacity Up to 50 Contact chris@localingtours.com
Phnom Krom Eco Resort, Cambodia
This community-based recreational resort sits on a 100-hectare site nestled at the foot of Phnom Krom hill near Siem Reap.
A dedicated events team is on hand to curate teambuilding activities that offer a glimpse of rural Cambodian life.
A range of skills-based activities can be compiled for groups, such as riding ox carts, fishing Cambodian-style, helping local farmers plant or harvest crops (depending on the season), and boating on one of the four lakes the sprawling site straddles.
There is also the option of camping overnight on the resort’s grounds to experience Cambodia in the wild. Capacity 30 to 1,000 Contact sales@empressangkor.com
Synergy Production – Travel & Events Business, Indonesia
The Jakarta-headquartered company has devised a teambuilding programme which explores Bogor – a town about an hour’s drive from Jakarta – with the help of an angkot, the prolific minivans that locals depend for their daily commute.
The programme starts with hopping on the Jakarta-Bogor commuter line, a popular rail transport option between the two cities. Upon arrival in Bogor, participants are divided into groups, assigned one angkot per group and given a sum of money. They are then asked to join a Facebook page dedicated to the event on which instructions are given.
Tasks include tracking down and tasting local dishes, visit attractions in the area, and reaching the finish line during a stipulated timeframe.
Aside from learning how to work together, bargaining skills are also tested as the more money left at the end of the tasks, the better chances the team has of winning. Capacity 30 to 500 Contact eddy@synergyproduction.net
Atelier Tsuzuki, Japan
Soba – or buckwheat noodles – is one of Shikoku’s famed specialities, and deep in the valleys of Tokushima’s rugged mountains sits a quiet studio run by Tsuzuki-san, an elderly soba master who supplies the noodles to restaurants and hotels across the region. Classes taught by Tsuzuki-san are peaceful, fun and challenging at the same time.
Here, participants are guided through the multi-step soba-making process, from grinding soba grains with a traditional hand-powered mill to soaking the noodles in a cold bath. The workshop is followed by a meal of vegetable tempura, cold dishes, and free-flow soba. Tsuzuki-san then brings the session to a heart-stirring end with a short performance of her award-winning folk singing. Capacity Two to 15 Contact iyajiman.com / (81) 883 88 5625
Borneo Trails Tours & Travel, Malaysia
This activity takes delegates to eastern Sabah to experience the native Rungus tribe’s rustic way of life.
To get there, groups take a scenic, three-hour drive from Kota Kinabalu to Kudat, arriving by early evening.
A treasure hunt – revolving around the destination and local culture of the Rungus – is first on the agenda, followed by a dinner accompanied by cultural performances and storytelling. Delegates will then retire into traditional wooden longhouses for the night.
Early the next morning, the group is divided into teams, all bound for the forest. Several teams are assigned to look for firewood, while the others will pick wild edibles. The two teams will then converge to build a fire, cook a meal out of the various ingredients sourced from the jungle. Later in the day, participants will also learn how to weave traditional baskets known as rinago, as well as beaded necklaces, all of which are souvenirs that they can take home. Capacity Four to 15 Contact bernadette@borneotrails.com
Im-Active Travel and Business Events, the Philippines
This tour agency in Pasay City offers a teambuilding programme in Bohol that can cover a range of activities depending on the planner’s objectives.
Possible itineraries include a driving competition around Bohol’s Chocolate Hills; handmaking souvenirs like wallets, bags, and mats guided by raffia loom weavers; harvesting cacao to make hot chocolate; and learning from artisans to concoct coconut jam.
Mini competitions, while learning Filipino dances like tinikling and pandanggo, can spice up the itinerary.
A visit to nipa palm groves can also be arranged, where participants will learn how nipa leaves are used to create thatched roofing for local houses, turn the palm fruit into a sweet kaong for a fruit salad, as well as make vinegar and local wine from nipa sap called lambanog. Capacity Six to 100 Contact im.activeteam@gmail.com
Xperience Singapore Events & Travel
A popular team sport in Singapore with roots tracing as far back as 2,500 years, dragonboat racing offers an exhilarating experience that fosters coordination and teamwork against the unique backdrop of the Singapore skyline.
In this two-hour session, groups will learn from an expert trainer how to paddle and balance a 10-seater practice boat, and observe a steersman in action.
Teams will then row down Marina Reservoir with views of the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Barrage. The session also includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of “The Nursery”, a storage space for the dragon heads and tails that adorn the competition boats. Capacity Four to 300 Contact contact@xperiencedmc.com
HiveSters, Thailand
HiveSters, along with its sister project, Local Thai Kitchen (a social enterprise preserving disappearing Thai food culture through sustainable tourism), believes that food is capable of connecting people. It runs a few teambuilding programmes centred around Thai cuisine, where groups can taste new items, learn to cook dishes, or be challenged in gamified, fun face-offs.
Groups can hunt for delicious local food in the community and experience cooking with local masters – think aunties and grannies in local communities – in the Foodie Treasure Hunt. Or choose Cooking Battle, where teams compete against each other to prepare Thai dishes with the help of step-by-step recipes, and aim to earn the highest score from local masters. There’s also a Food Blind Tasting activity, where more adventurous groups are blindfolded and have to figure out what they are eating. The group with the most correct answers wins! Capacity Foodie Treasure Hunt (10 to 180); Food blind tasting battle (10 to 100); Cooking battle (four to 30) Contact bookme@hivesters.com
For Congress Rental, which has offices in Australia, Singapore and Indonesia, its point of difference is its Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI) language solution, which helped Nuskin and ICANN proceed with international events in recent weeks.
With event organisers turning to technology and online solutions to avoid disruptions caused by Covid-19, suppliers say hybrid and/or virtual meetings are trending and will fuel their development even when the industry recovers.
Commenting on how Covid-19 could affect event organisers and participants, Veemal Gungadin, founder and CEO, GlobalSign.in, said: “Given the current situation and where things are going, I think companies should seriously start looking into virtual and hybrid events.
Congress Rental offers a Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI) language solution, which helped two companies proceed with events recently
“It is impossible to predict the end date for Covid-19 and its repercussions. Investing in live streaming is a safe bet because there is an immediate need for it. But we also believe a whole new paradigm is going to emerge from this situation.
“A lot of people are going to experience organising, or attending, a virtual event for the first time and they will start looking at how it could replace some of their physical events or act as a complement.”
Gungadin shared that only a few small-scale Singapore government events were able to continue with a physical format – to communicate important messages – as there were only a few attendees and measures were in place to ensure participants’ safety. It was the same for some businesses too.
Such measures included health and travel declaration, temperature checks, more space between seats, and making sanitisers available.
Hybrid events, usually small in scale, he added, were also being live-streamed to a larger audience in parallel.
Gungadin: organisers need to consider virtual and hybrid events more seriously
Gungadin said: “We did such an event last week (end-March) which was a briefing session at IMDA’s PIXEL on digital solutions to keep a safe and healthy workplace amid Covid-19.”
For Congress Rental, which has offices in Australia, Singapore and Indonesia, its point of difference is its Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI) language solution, which helped Nuskin and ICANN proceed with international events in recent weeks.
According to managing director Jeremy Ducklin, RSI allowed interpreters to be remote from the event they were providing the interpretation/translation and the platform further extended to having the audience remote.
Ducklin said: “The ICANN event was a truly remote meeting with all the presenters in remote locations worldwide. At its peak, it had 690 people listening to their community forum session with many remarks complementing the online nature of the meeting and the language support that we provided.
“Similarly RSI was used for a Honda event where space was an issue,” he shared.
“We are now talking to one client with a requirement for an online AGM where the presenter and presentation need to be shown at the same time to 1,000-plus shareholders,” Ducklin noted, adding that enquiries and proposals for remote solutions have trebled in the past week.
But Kenny Goh, founder of Singapore-based event tech company miceNEUROL, said event organisers must look beyond just the end product or the broadcast portion.
Goh – a proponent of event tech “integration” – pointed out: “There many piecemeal solutions for virtual MICE. Many like Zoom, YouTube, etc focus on the last-mile solution – the broadcasting solution.”
But there are few integrated event tech companies that start from accreditation and registration, or even start from contact management. As such, Goh cautioned that even though the tech solutions are in place, the systems integrators are not, which may bring about serious consequences.
“When there is a problem, the broadcasting media may blame the registration company, the registration company may blame the accreditation company which may blame the onboarding system, which may blame the AV supplier which may blame the telco. That is the problem,” he explained.
Claiming that the implementation of integrated virtual conferences and exhibitions is “low cost”, Goh has been spending time educating event organisers instead of deploying its systems over the last few weeks.
For some organisers, going hybrid is a defence strategy and Goh observed that the Covid-19 pandemic could provide the opportunity to lead event organisers to adapt, adopt integration and succeed.
Phuket’s announcements over the past weekend have most of its hotels considering temporary closures, as the destination’s land and sea borders have been sealed off, with a looming cessation of air transfers from April 10-30 due to Covid-19.
Currently, its beaches have been closed, and a curfew from 20.00 to 03.00 is in place. Tourist attractions such as zoos, animal shows and Patong’s walking street have also shuttered.
Aerial view of a resort in Phuket
Anthony Lark, Phuket Hotels Association’s (PHA) president, commented: “As travel has almost ground to a halt, the island’s hotels and business that cater to travellers have been (badly) hit in terms of business levels.”
“Most Phuket hotels anticipated these rules being imposed by the government, and our main concerns are for the safety and health of our staff. We support the measures the government is taking to stop the spread.”
As Phuket’s tourism industry braces itself for an impending lockdown, PHA is also preparing to support its members going forward.
One of PHA’s initiatives is a MICE recovery programme that will be released at a timely moment, and as soon as the industry is on the verge of a rebound. It includes an e-event planners’ guide which features all Phuket hotels, venues and event offerings. Short clips and videos on venues will also be produced and shared by hotel association members.
While there has not yet been an official announcement on closure of hotels, local hotels are already in preparation mode, based on a letter of guidance from the Phuket governor addressed to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).
However, without a clear order from the authorities to close, affected full-time, formal hotel employees will be ineligible for benefits from the Thai Social Security Fund (SSF), and properties will find themselves bearing the brunt of subsidising their hard-hit businesses.
But Lark remains optimistic that the island will emerge from this even stronger once the storm blows over.
“Phuket’s inbound MICE business was growing well, particularly for the Indian market with the increase of direct flights. We expect this to continue after the travel restrictions are lifted. Phuket hotels were also (anticipating increased business pre-Covid-19), upsizing their MICE venue capacity to cope with influx and demand from major markets like China, Europe and Australia,” Lark shared.
He added that Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s increased budgets and action recovery programme in response to the Covid-19 crisis will also help the industry weather these tough times.
Artists' impression of the upcoming luxury golf resort
As more Gen Y employees enter the workforce and leadership positions, their preferences are influencing the way business meetings and travel are conducted, and the soon-to-open Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore was constructed with this in mind.
“Gen Y, now in their mid-20s to 30s, is an important generation that craves connection and engagement. Well-thought-out MICE events are no longer just about stimulating presentations and networking opportunities. Meeting planners are designing programmes that consider the dietary, physical and mental wellness of their delegates,” observed Eric Piatti, general manager of Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore.
Artists’ impression of the upcoming luxury golf resort
Slated to open in July 2020, the 198-room resort will be Singapore’s first hotel with direct access to a golf course, the Laguna National Golf & Country Club’s two 18-hole championship golf courses.
This unique location opens up new possibilities that planners can explore for events in Singapore. Piatti described: “Imagine a welcome reception on an outdoor event lawn with the golf course as a backdrop, a C-suite gathering in one of our private pavilions or a farm-to-table dining experience. Teambuilding activities can also include cooking classes following a therapeutic harvesting experience from the hotel’s herb farm, or an excursion to the neighbouring East Coast Park.”
In addition, golf lovers and beginners alike can enjoy the sport with an Asia first – Laguna National’s Moonlight Golf programme, which adds an evening of golfing powered by Swiss-engineered LED technology.
Other unconventional meeting options on the property include three event lawns with a golf course backdrop; eight private pavilions, each with their own outdoor plunge pool; and a host of modular workspace arrangements – be they sofa lounge or bean bag set-ups – for C-Suite discussions or creative brainstorming sessions.
But Piatti assures that Gen Y are not their only target, as he affirmed that “C-Suite executives in their 40s and 50s will also find these enhanced experiences both engaging and enriching”.
Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore will also be decked out in technology that caters to Gen Y and any other guests who have “high expectations when it comes to digital services”, he added.
For instance, meeting attendees can register on the hotel’s e-network platform to engage and interact with each other, while event organisers can conduct real-time polling and Q&A with attendees.
Beyond a seamless e-registration, property guests will also be able to check-in and obtain their mobile keys via an app. Through the app, guests can also request for in-room amenities, such as a yoga mat, or arrange for late check-out without having to pick up the phone.
Aside from Dusit Thani’s events team, planners can also access an e-MICE planning tool to organise, manage and execute their events on the property with ease.
The newly-opened Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok anchors the One Bangkok development with cosmopolitan elegance. Featuring the city's largest ballroom and a spectacular new penthouse suite, it delivers exceptional hardware and deeply authentic, soulful service for business and leisure travellers alike
Behind the imposing, Brutalist concrete that defines Zurich’s Oerlikon district lies a surprising secret. While its exterior honours the neighbourhood’s industrial roots, stepping inside Mama Shelter reveals a vibrant, neon-soaked world that is a far cry from its rigid shell
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
Borneo Trails Tours & Travel, Malaysia
