Elena Nazarovici has been appointed as director of sales at The Sanchaya.
Elena joins The Sanchaya from The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, Maldives, where she spent two and a half years, having joined the team as sales manager and working her way up to director of sales & marketing.
With more than 15 years of global experience in the hospitality industry, she has also cut her teeth at Domina Coral Bay Hotel, Resort, Spa and Casino in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt; as well as InterContinental Doha the City in Doha, Qatar.
WingsOverAsia's Hangar66 private garden rooftop and lounge
Demand for authentic experiences and participant interaction fuel growing hunger for unique venues
Hidden costs and logistics among many considerations planners must take
Stiffer competition between conventional and unique venues, but partnerships possible
WingsOverAsia’s Hangar66 private garden rooftop and lounge
The recent integration of non-traditional venue sourcing platforms into larger specialised meetings organisations is underscoring a growing demand for unique venues among corporate clients and the business value of providing such options.
In October 2019, HotelPlanner, a global provider of online hotel reservations services for group event planners, acquired online venue marketplace Venuexplorer. The latter specialises in a variety of event venues – presently more than 100 in Singapore but with plans to expand that to 300 by end-2020, from conventional spaces such as conference centres to non-traditional spaces such as the F1 Karting Circuit.
Following that, in January this year, Aventri partnered US venue specialist VenueBook to bring the latter’s direct booking technology and database of 1,500 non-traditional venues onto the former’s enterprise event management software platform.
Although Aventri’s latest move brings greater venue variety to only its network in the US, it answers a rising interest in unique venues, which Brad Langley, vice president, channel and partner management, said is present worldwide, including in the Asia-Pacific region.
In an email interview with TTGmice, Langley explained: “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 that non-conventional venues are a great way to deliver on this promise.”
Christopher Lee, co-founder of Venuexplorer, noted that demand for unique venues among corporate clients has risen by 30 per cent year-on-year, driven by the need to maintain an “element of surprise” in their events, something that repeated use of the usual hotel function rooms fail to do.
Langley believes that this trend is “good news for event professionals” in Asia-Pacific, where there are “stellar non-traditional venues”.
Lee: noticed demand for unique venues rising, driven by the element of surprise
In Aventri’s 100 Top Event Venues in APAC, a guide published in January to capture the top-rated 10 meeting and event cities in the region, venues such as restaurants; art galleries; museums; bars and lounges; historic landmarks; speedboats and sailboats for group excursions; renovated mansions; theatres; as well as spaces in botanic gardens, parks, aquariums, towers, zoos and more came up tops.
“The Asia-Pacific is a booming market for Aventri. Given the region’s world-class venues and sophisticated infrastructure, we see tremendous opportunity here,” said Langley, adding that the company intends to continue growing its database of unique venues, especially in fast-growing global markets like this region.
Destinations playing it up
This week, the annual Asia Pacific Incentives Meetings Event (AIME) opened with a VIP gala dinner at the historical State Library Victoria, where the Ian Potter Queen’s Hall had its usual silence broken by a lively dinner party.
AIME, which is owned by the Melbourne Convention Bureau, has always been a vehicle for the city to show off some of her most unconventional venues through the tradeshow’s well subscribed social events.
Some of the more savvy CVBs have worked the promotion of unique venues into their destination marketing campaigns, as a means to stand out in Asia-Pacific’s competitive events marketplace.
Korea Tourism Organization launched the Korea Unique Venues collection in 2017 with 20 select venues, which it then trimmed down to just 11 before boosting the list further in November 2019 with 19 more.
Last year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau debuted the Tokyo Unique Venues service desk, making the city’s slew of unique venues easily accessible to event planners. A series of special trade events were conducted to demonstrate the versatility of a few of the most unusual unconventional venues.
For instance, the serene temple street of Shibamata in eastern Tokyo was transformed one October evening into a lively festival that featured traditional street performances and street food prepared by local merchants. Daikyoji Temple, at the end of the temple street, was dressed up in colourful projection lights, providing a memorable photography backdrop for participants.
Drawing a specific segment
Both Langley and Lee agreed that unique venues tended to attract events with shorter duration.
Lee observed that standalone, unique venues would often be used for events with a maximum duration of three days, while traditional venues in convention centres and hotels usually lasted one to two weeks.
Venuexplorer typically sees greater interest in unique venues among planners who are producing product launches, corporate networking parties, seminars/workshops, gala dinners, corporate dinner and dance, media events, offsite meetings and teambuilding programmes.
Langley found that planners looking to host “meetings within meetings” tended to gravitate towards unique venues.
He explained: “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.
Langley: change it up with traditional and nontraditional venues for an interesting programme
“Attendees like to get out and explore their host destination. 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.”
According to Langley, other factors driving the need for unique, standalone venues include the rise in experiential events, where planners look to venues to allow them to deliver unforgettable, immersive experiences; the millennial workforce, which value opportunities to broaden their global perspective and experience different cultures firsthand even during their business activities; a growth in small meetings, which favour smaller, unique venues that encourages two-way conversations, feedback and bonding among attendees; and transformative venue sourcing technologies, which facilitate seamless venue search and booking processes.
Careful considerations needed
While the use of unique venues opens up creative event possibilities and may even help stretch limited budgets, Lee warned that event planners need to pay greater attention to helping guests locate the venue.
“A common downside for most unique spaces is their location. Clear directions to the destination are very important,” he said. “Alternatively, event planners can consider providing transportation for their guests to tackle the shortage of parking space.”
Lee also emphasised the importance of a site visit before securing the venue, to ensure a clearer image and impression of the space.
Other critical considerations, advised Langley, include taking into account the required audience experience; the venue’s noise restrictions or curfews for sound; and all possible costs that may be incurred, such as labour for equipment setup and breakdown, rentals for tenting and décor, and F&B catering.
Visitors may arrange for a tour of the WingsOverAsia’s Hangar66 facility
Stiffer competition among venues
Traditional venue providers are already feeling the heat from the growing market presence of unique venues, observed Lee.
And it appears that the customer will walk away triumphant from the battle, as traditional venue providers defend their territory with flexible event packages and facility renovations to offer improved look and feel, shared Lee.
In Langley’s view, however, traditional and nontraditional venues can work hand-in-hand to provide the event organiser a mix of spaces that suit a diverse programme.
“The fact is, when thousands of attendees converge on a city for large-scale 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,” he emphasised.
“After being inside a hotel or convention centre all day, it’s fun to change things up with off-site events at unique venues,” Langley added.
Tourism Australia's managing director Philippa Harrison at the launch of AIME. Photo: Adelaine Ng
Tourism Australia is ready to turn its attention to South-east Asia in its next campaign period as it waits for the Covid-19 situation to improve.
Speaking on the sidelines at AIME 2020, Tourism Australia chief, Phillipa Harrison, told TTGmice that Singapore and Malaysia have been identified as key markets, with Indonesia also in the mix.
Tourism Australia’s managing director Philippa Harrison at the launch of AIME. Photo: Adelaine Ng
“I don’t think there is any making up for the downturn in China closing for business,” said Harrison. “But we’re doubling down on our markets and looking at other markets while China is temporarily closed”.
It’s believed about 40 hosted buyers from China were forced to cancel AIME 2020 plans due to the Covid-19 travel bans. But attendance numbers for AIME are healthy, with some 2,500 suppliers and event planners registered to attend the three-day programme.
Earlier, Harrison addressed the media at AIME’s launch, outlining the challenging task ahead for the recovery of Australia’s tourism industry after successive setbacks due to the devastating bushfire season and Covid-19 outbreak.
The Australian government has pledged A$76 million (US$50.9 million) for tourism recovery, A$61 million of which will go to Tourism Australia, with a significant portion aimed at encouraging domestic tourism for the first time in eight years.
“This year we are telling people to Event Here This Year. That’s really around capitalising on the overwhelming support that Australians have shown for each other during this time… It doesn’t have to be your main conference, it can be something as small as an offsite,” Harrison elaborated.
She added that there was a prevailing misperception about Australia that needed to be fought: 61 per cent of people in the 15 markets they researched believed inaccurately that more than a quarter of Australia is burnt from the bushfires.
To this end, Tourism Australia will run a six-month campaign to promote “stories of regeneration” as part of an “upscaled, weighted campaign” going out this month and next.
Meanwhile, Harrison revealed that Tourism Australia’s incentive showcase in Perth in December resulted in A$100 million worth of business leads, with seven business events wins valued at A$11 million that were not impacted by the bushfires, reinforcing the value and resilience of the business events sector to Australia.
AIME organisers hope that with Asia-Pacific meetings industry members engaged in networking appointments today and tomorrow, the message will be reinforced that Australia is safe and open for business.
The Panagbenga flower festival was one of the major cancellations this month
A joint statement from three Philippine agencies was issued today to approve the staging of large-scale public events, following an earlier Department of Health advisory against organising and attending concerts and events with huge crowds last week.
The Department of Health advisory, which was issued in a bid to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, had resulted in a number of events being cancelled and rescheduled.
The Panagbenga flower festival was one of the major cancellations this month
Tourism undersecretary Arturo Boncato Jr said in a press briefing at the Malacanang presidential palace yesterday that the message to be conveyed now is that large events and activities can proceed for as long as all the health and safety protocols and precautionary measures are in place.
Department of Education (DepEd) secretary Leonor Briones hopes that the clarificatory statement will bring about the continuation of various events.
Briones noted that the DepEd is a “big contributor to local tourism” because its events usually have large delegations with numerous spectators, contributing not only to the venue but also to hotels, food and suppliers of equipment.
Briones said the Palarong Pambansa, DepEd’s flagship sports programme to be held in May can easily attract 30,000 people, adding that with the clarificatory statement, the some local governments may also change their mind about canning student graduation ceremonies.
Cancelled events this month include the DepEd’s National Schools Press Conference, National Festival of Talents, and the National Science and Technology Fair.
The Philippine Sports Commission also cancelled several events including the National Sports Summit 2020, Philippine National Games, and Youth Games Batang Pinoy, while recommending the postponement of the 2020 ASEAN Para Games slated for next month in Clark, Pampanga.
Meanwhile, the Cultural Center of the Philippines earlier cancelled events happening this month and next such as the Pasinaya Festival, considered the country’s biggest multi-arts festival; the three-week-long Baguio’s Panagbenga flower festival; and the month-long celebrations for Davao Day.
New destination marketing messages and a series of promotional packages, to expedite the recovery of Thailand’s inbound meetings and incentives business are in the works, towards a possible launch at IMEX Frankfurt this May.
In an interview with TTGmice last Thursday, Nooch Homrossukhon, director – meetings & incentives with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), revealed that a meeting with industry stakeholders was called on February 5 to brainstorm next steps.
Nooch: TCEB is hard at work muscling up recovery plans, country has already been working to reduce reliance on China market since before Covid-19 happened
TCEB is presently working with its agencies and industry stakeholders on an execution timeline for the efforts.
However, Nooch admitted that “it is really hard to tell” when the right time would be, as new infections are still being reported in and outside of hotzone China.
“During our discussion (on February 5), we agreed that more clarity around the virus will come towards the end of February. That’s the message Chinese health officials are saying. From then on, we can make further, firmer plans on how to move forward,” she said.
Nooch added that times of crisis have brought the meetings and incentives industry players closer and there is a strong sense of camaraderie.
While TCEB typically subsidises roadshow participation for the private sector, requiring only “a minimal registration fee”, Nooch said stakeholders are now offering to chip in financially should the bureau face budget limitations in any of their upcoming roadshows.
Going forward, TCEB will continue to work on a spread of source markets, with significant attention paid to Asian markets.
Nooch said TCEB was aware of the need to reduce Thailand’s reliance on the China meetings and incentives market since three years ago, which led to the bureau investing more in India, particularly in tier-two and tier-three cities.
Despite the efforts, China remains Thailand’s top market for inbound meetings and incentive programmes. “China is a very big volume market so it is hard to beat,” she explained.
China, India and Malaysia were Thailand’s top three source markets for meetings and incentives in fiscal year 2018, while Malaysia overtook India in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019.
“I think Malaysian planners suddenly saw great value in Thailand. As you know, the Malaysian ringgit has been weak, so groups have had to consider nearby destinations that are more affordable, or that bring them greater value. Thailand makes a great option in this case,” she said. Meeting and incentive arrivals from China and Malaysia now have a 20 per cent gap.
Nooch also hopes that the active SITE Thailand Chapter will muscle up TCEB’s recovery plans and make Thailand a more prominent choice among global incentive professionals.
The Chapter, which was set up last year after the SITE Global Conference 2019 in Bangkok, was awarded the Rising Star Award for 2019 at SITE’s 2020 Global Conference in Vancouver, Canada earlier in January.
At the same time, chapter president Max Boontawee Jantasuwan was presented with the Kevin Forde Spirit Award 2019 from SITE for his dedication to the industry and volunteerism.
“Both awards bring us a lot of joy because we put in a lot of effort to get the SITE Global Conference 2019 off the ground in Bangkok, as well as maintain the momentum of industry engagement after that. The feedback from SITE is that we are the only destination that keeps conducting activities for its members after our event,” she said.
Accor hotels in Indonesia are positioning their venues as being unique, flexible and allowing tailor-made experiences to attract the domestic corporate market, a move that hoteliers exhibiting at the ALL – Accor Live Limitless Hotel & Wedding Fair last weekend said was helping to keep business coming despite Covid-19 fears.
The event, which showcased Accor properties across Indonesia, offered discounts of up to 40 per cent for events package and room bookings. It attracted more than 1,000 corporate visitors in addition to member of the public.
From left: Accor’s Garth Simmons; Nia Niscaya, Indonesia’s deputy of tourism marketing and creative economy, tourism and creative economy agency; Ternakopi’s Kaesang Pangarep; CIMB’s Niaga Noviady Wahyudi; and Accor’s Adi Satria. Photo: Tiara Maharani
Garth Simmons, chief operating officer, Accor Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and South Asia, described the Indonesian domestic market as being “extraordinary” and is the “backbone” for Indonesia’s tourism and hotel industry.
Accor hoteliers told TTGmice that Indonesian corporate clients are drawn to experiential events, personalised services, flexibility, and custom products, and they are keen to demonstrate that their properties are able to satisfy these requirements.
Shelly Darcy, director of sales and marketing with Movenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali, said meetings at her hotel leverage on the “atmosphere of Bali” to create a relaxing, tropical vibe.
Darcy believes that the trend towards one-of-a-kind themed party and corporate events that take on a vibrant lifestyle setting will be here to stay, and many hotels are responding by crafting signature events that will be the talk of the town.
Both Hotel Fairmont Jakarta and Ibis Bandung Trans Studio are hoping to attract experience-focused planners through customised services. There are opportunities to personalise menus for each event participant, for instance.
Hosted buyers and media attending the 2020 Asia Pacific Incentives & Meetings Event (AIME) experienced a night full of glamour at the Uncover Melbourne Gala on February 16 at Melbourne’s newest venue – the Ian Potter Queens Hall, the jewel in the State Library Victoria’s collection of unique heritage spaces.
Reopened in December 2019 as part of the Vision 2020 project, the space has returned to its former glory as Melbourne’s an impressive gala event venue, unveiling its historic architecture and celebrating its 19th-century decorative scheme.
Entertainment kept going during the event, which included a gospel choir, performers in the sky and Melbourne’s famous band, The Huxleys. Another highlight of the night was the menu on offer. The feast included roving canapes, an Australian cheese station and an oyster bar.
The event is part of MCB’s AIME programme, Uncover Melbourne, designed to showcase Melbourne’s world-class business events capability.
Accor has brought the first international five-star hotel to New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty region, in the form of Pullman Rotorua.
The new-build offers 130 rooms across five categories, some of which offer panoramic views of the city and lake area.
Pullman Rotorua
1 of 4
Meeting planners will be able to avail the four event spaces – the largest of which is 155m2 and can hold up to 120 people theatre-style – and a boardroom which doubles up as a private dining area.
Aside from the Barrel & Co Bar and Grill, other amenities on-site include an executive lounge, bar, and gym.
Pullman Rotorua is the second Pullman hotel in New Zealand, joining the existing Pullman Auckland.
What is trending?
To win the talent war, organisations recognise the need to provide a holistic employee experience. Business travel contributes to employee satisfaction and productivity, leading to a higher overall return on investment for the company.
Business travel programmes have become more focused, and many are also seeking sustainability and reporting requirements from suppliers.
How will these trends impact the way suppliers and buyers work?
Low margins in the airline and hospitality industry, and antiquated systems have led to a need for evolution in distribution and content. For business travel, increased complexity with private channel content creates a need for buyers and suppliers to work closely across the value chain to provide a highly customised experience for the traveller while creating an efficient shopping experience.
We are seeing increased consolidation across the supply chain. With travel buyers becoming more cautious, suppliers are expected to see pricing and cost becoming a bigger priority in buying decisions.
CORPORATE MEETINGS AND EVENT Milton Rivera Vice president, global business development & strategy, American Express Global Business Travel
What is trending?
Attendee experience continues to be a focus across the globe (and) face-to-face meetings continue to be a defining feature of activity in Asia-Pacific, with 13 per cent of meeting planners reporting they do not use any virtual or hybrid meetings.
Sustainability is a key area of focus. Also, as companies are highly aware of managing their corporate reputation, compliance continues to be a recurring theme in countries across the region.
How will these trends impact the way suppliers and buyers work?
With the focus on attendee experience and making personal connections a priority in the region, planners and travel buyers will have to find smarter solutions to deliver memorable events.
That may translate into decisions about different destination and/or the style of the event being delivered; smarter supplier sourcing like finding the right suppliers who share the values of the organisation; while delivering cost efficiencies without sacrificing the quality and experience of the event.
EXHIBITIONS Kai Hattendorf Managing director and CEO, UFI
What is trending?
The exhibitions industry continues to grow faster than the world economy. However, growth has slowed as trade barriers have gone up. This has led to growth in new markets, with a number of Asian markets benefitting.
Overall, Asia is the fastest-growing region with regards to exhibitions. While mergers and acquisitions will continue in our industry, many leaders are now focusing on customer experience and customer-centricity, leading to an ongoing evolution of the traditional tradeshow business model.
What factors are driving these trends?
Trade barriers and tariffs impact the way the world economy works. Millennials entering the boardrooms are influencing the ways marketing investments are viewed and prioritised.
The key for exhibition organisers here is to maintain – or regain – trust in their shows by being transparent about the values and ROIs that they offer. With more and more private equity investments coming into our industry, the current focus on “getting things right” is undoubtedly here to stay.
How will these trends impact the way suppliers and buyers work?
Nothing will replace the value of face-to-face meetings and interactions. But UFI research, drawn on the global input from more than 13,000 tradeshow visitors, shows that suppliers are expected to provide more than just the trade and the conversation at their booth.
The “confex” and “festivalisation” trend means that exhibitions are also expected to (provide) a memorable experience.
ASSOCIATION CONGRESSES Octavio B Peralta President, Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organisations
What is trending?
I see three cross-cutting themes trending in the association congress space.
They are: more experiential events, developing meaningful connections, and providing sustainability, which are largely driven by technological innovation, purposeful creativity, and social responsibility, respectively.
It is about return on experience – ROE – and not only about ROI. It is not only about networking, but of connecting people for a purpose and in memorable settings. It is about being mindful about doing events that contribute to the destination’s environmental, social and economic well-being.
How will these trends impact the way suppliers and buyers work?
More than ever, I think association buyers and suppliers need to “converge and immerse” themselves into these trends and work closely together for greater impact. Association buyers have to spell out clearly in their RFPs, what their expectations are, for example, of a green event, so suppliers can also make suggestions in terms of say, energy-efficient transportation options, farm-to-table dining choices, or reusable event materials, among others.
Grand Park City Hall, the flagship property of Park Hotel Group, has appointed Jeane Lim as the hotel’s new general manager.
In her new role, Lim will steer the team to accomplish a new level in brand representation and awareness, guest experiences and financial results. Her immediate responsibilities include evaluating the current processes with the various heads of department and offer clear directives and effective support to maximise performance and financial results, while strengthening the cohesiveness of the team.
With more than 30 years of hospitality experience, Lim was most recently the general manger of Parkroyal on Pickering.
Prior to that, she has also served as director of sales in Grand Hyatt Singapore, general manager in Copthorne King’s Hotel and Destination Singapore Beach Road, and vice president of global sales at Millennium Hotels and Resorts.
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