New mega conference venue joins Phuket’s function portfolio

November 12, 2019

Angsana Laguna Phuket, located at the Angsana Laguna Phuket resort complex in Thailand, has unveiled a brand new, 1,500m² multipurpose space.

Named the Angsana Convention and Exhibition Space (ACES), for theatre-style seating, ACES can accommodate up to 1,500 guests for a multinational business conference or a MICE seminar.

Angsana Convention and Exhibition Space

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ACES can comfortably seat 850 guests in a classroom setting, or 225 guests in U-shape and boardroom arrangement, with room to spare for light, sound and staging.

The venue is also ideal for welcome receptions and gala dinners, accommodating up to 800 guests for banquets or 1,500 guests for standing cocktails.

Light and sound themes are customised for each event, arranged for by a team of Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Certified Incentive Specialists (CIS) who are on-hand to assist planners from start to end.

Catering is offered along with the use of the venue, and options include themed coffee breaks and fine-dining banquets. Planners have the added advantage of personalising menus with any one of Angsana Laguna Phuket’s six restaurants and bars, covering local and international cuisines.

Angsana Laguna Phuket was recently recognised by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau for meeting the Thailand MICE Venue Standard Designation and ASEAN MICE Venue Standards certifications to host international-standard MICE events.

Ritz-Carlton opens in Pune

By TTGmice

November 12, 2019

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THE_RITZ-CARLTON_DEBUTS_IN_THE_DYNAMIC_METROPOLIS_OF_PUNE,_INDIA — The Ritz-Carlton Pune

A second Ritz-Carlton has risen in India, in the heart of Pune’s – a city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra – downtown and across the road from the Poona Golf Club.

The hotel features 198 guestrooms and 35 suites, the largest being the Presidential Suite with two bedrooms, a living room and dining area, private bar and in-suite treatment room. Guests staying on the Club Level floors will enjoy access to the Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge on the 18th floor that features views of the golf course, private check-in, a dedicated Club Concierge, and small bites throughout the day.

There are five dining venues on-site, ranging from modern Japanese restaurant Ukiyo to Aasma, the hotel’s rooftop lounge serving Indian cuisine. Other recreational facilities includes a fitness studio, yoga deck, and Ritz-Carlton Spa with eight treatment rooms.

Event planners may avail the myriad spaces on-site spread across more than 3,200m², with spaces such as an outdoor foyer for hire.

Veranita Yosephine Sinaga gets in hot seat at AirAsia Indonesia

By TTGmice

November 12, 2019

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Veranita Yosephine Sinaga has been appointed as CEO of AirAsia Indonesia, taking over from Dendy Kurniawan with immediate effect.

In her new role, Veranita will be responsible for the company’s airline operations in Indonesia, working with government and industry stakeholders to play a key role in leading local transformation efforts as the company expands beyond air transport to offer travel and lifestyle services, as well as financial services.

Veranita joined AirAsia Indonesia as deputy CEO in July 2019, bringing with her more than 18 years of fast-moving consumer goods sales experience.

Prior to joining AirAsia, Veranita served as sales director at Kraft Heinz Indonesia, where she led and orchestrated multiple commercial growth initiatives. She also spent a number of years with Danone Waters Indonesia and British American Tobacco Indonesia.

Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown names DOSM

By TTGmice

November 12, 2019

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Rosidah Abdullah has been appointed director of sales & marketing at the soon-to-open Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown in Malaysia.

In her new role, Abdullah will head the hotel’s sales, marketing, events, revenue management and reservations divisions, while developing business strategies that drive growth, maximising all revenue streams and exceeding business goals of the hotel.

With 15 years of sales and client management experience in the hotel industry, Abdullah previously served as director of sales at a sister property of the Marriott group in Malaysia, The Westin Kuala Lumpur.

Prior to that, Abdullah was assistant director of sales at Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur under the Millennium Hotel and Resorts. She was also the senior sales manager of Hilton Worldwide Malaysia’s national sales office for four years where she oversaw key accounts for six Hilton hotels nationwide.

New GM named for Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh Bay

By TTGmice

November 11, 2019

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Peter Tichy has been appointed opening general manager for the Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam.

With more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Tichy has previously managed four of Radisson Blu’s hotels, as well as properties under its sister brand, Park Inn by Radisson.

Tichy has also managed and successfully launched new hotels in Russia, Sweden, Germany, Ukraine, Egypt, and Nigeria.

The South-east Asia Special: Brunei

By S Puvaneswary

November 11, 2019

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Brunei-UluTemburongNationalPark — Ulu Temburong National Park was the first national park to be established in Brunei

The business events segment is still very new to the Sultanate, and getting it off the ground will require destination specialists to overcome several hurdles.

An inbound agent who wished to remain anonymous lamented that convincing organisers to hold their event in Brunei is not easy, as the local currency is strong. At the same time, delegates have to adhere to the laws of land, which prohibit alcohol consumption, even at private gatherings. Furthermore, the lack of night entertainment, shopping, world-class attractions and theme parks of international standard also makes it difficult to pitch Brunei as an incentive destination.

Ulu Temburong National Park (pictured) was the first national park to be established in Brunei

So challenging is Brunei for MICE that even domestic companies head overseas for their incentive programmes, noted the agent.

However, inbound agents have found ways to circumnavigate these hurdles.

Khirul Zainie, managing director of MegaBorneo Tour Planner, shared that since it is difficult to sell Brunei as a mono destination for business events due to the lack of attractions, his company combines Brunei with the two Malaysian states on Borneo Island – Sabah and Sarawak – and/or with Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion on the island of Borneo.

He added: “We have marketing representatives in Poland and the Czech Republic who help us market Borneo Island as an incentive destination to Eastern European business event organisers.

“There has been so much negative news about Brunei in media reports, that it has also created curiosity among longhaul markets in Eastern Europe. People are curious enough, and are willing to include Brunei in their business events programme to experience the destination for themselves.”

Khirul said the orangutans are a highlight, with delegates eager to not only see the primates but also be involved in related corporate social responsibility programmes, such as learning about the challenges of orangutan rehabilitation into the wild and work done at the sanctuaries.

“The island of Borneo also has many tribes and live a different lifestyle from that of the West. Business event delegates from the West find this fascinating and are keen on visiting the Iban longhouses in Brunei and the multi tribal experiences of Borneo,” he said.

Caroline Ang, executive director of Bonasia Holiday, who targets the Chinese market, said her pitch focuses on Brunei’s pristine rainforests and its nature-based attractions.
Ang shared that Chinese incentive groups to Brunei are usually from small and medium-sized enterprises, with no more than 100 participants.

“When we pitch Brunei as a destination, we have to be creative as we are competing with other destinations on price. We have to throw in value-adds,” she said, adding that more inter-governmental support is needed for Brunei to grow its business events potential.

Khirul opined that Brunei could tap the large Muslim travel market for MICE.

“The Muslim market is growing around the world and we cannot ignore it. We should tap this segment by targeting Muslim majority countries such as Bangladesh. We have had a few high-end groups from Bangladesh in the past, and I see the potential for further growth,” he said.

For Mohd Iswandi Maaruf, director of operations with Mulia Hotel, the formation of an active convention bureau is imperative for Brunei. The bureau needs to go out, and promote the destination and bid for international events, as well as educate and train local players.

Borneo Convention Centre Kuching: 10 Years Of Meeting Expectations

By TTG

November 11, 2019

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Brought to you by Borneo Convention Centre Kuching

Sarawak has been gaining momentum as a choice city for business events over the past two years. According to the annual statistics report by the International Congress and Convention Association, Kuching, which is the capital city of Malaysian state of Sarawak, was ranked 28th in the list of Most Preferred Cities For Business Events out of more than 90 cities. In 2017, it was ranked 75th on the same list.

Contributing to Kuching’s burgeoning reputation as a business events destination are the numerous prolific conferences and events that were held in Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) since its inception in 2009. BCCK, which celebrates its landmark 10th anniversary this year, is the first international purpose-built convention centre in Borneo. The centre hosted more than 1,600 events and welcomed more than two million visitors from around the world over the past decade.

Borneo Convention Centre Kuching_Asian Television Awards_ Concert — BCCK has hosted international shows such as the 23rd Asian Television Awards

Injecting buzz into Kuching

Some of the major events that BCCK has hosted include the International Energy Week, 17th Continuing Professional Development Series Diabetes Asia Conference and the 23rd Asian Television Awards. This dynamic influx of events have channeled growing tourism revenue and visitorship that have raised the profile of Kuching. Over the past six years, BCCK has generated more than RM266 million (S$86 million), boosting Sarawak’s economy.

Datuk Hajjah Raziah binti Mahmud-Geneid, BCCK’s chairman, recalled that expectations were high when the convention centre started 10 years ago.

She said: “The entire state of Sarawak was eagerly looking on to see what we could do, and ten years down the road, the results speak for themselves. With our excellent team, support from the government, Board of Borneo Isthmus Development and local stakeholders, we have managed to elevate and showcase Sarawak as a phenomenal business events destination on an international stage.”

Making an impactful mark on the world map

Over the years, BCCK has been awarded internationally-recognised quality standard certifications. Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson, BCCK’s executive director, said: “Last year, the centre was lauded with the sought-after AIPC Gold Quality Standards Certification, which represents excellence in convention centre management. BCCK is the second convention centre in Asia that is recognised by AIPC, which is a global network of more than 185 leading convention centers in 60 countries.”

BCCK’s Halal-certified kitchens, including its 120-seat Raintree Restaurant, have received certifications include ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System and HACCP, which defines the effective control of food safety.

Having met customers’ satisfaction, BCCK has also received the ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification in 2013. Last year, the convention centre was also recognised with its third ISO certification, ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems standard, which recognises environmentally-responsible practices — a nod towards the global sustainability movement.

“The entire state of Sarawak was eagerly looking on to see what we could do, and ten years down the road, the results speak for themselves.”

– Datuk Hajjah Raziah binti Mahmud-Geneid, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching chairman

Innovating beyond a decade

Paying homage to nature, the distinctive architecture of BCCK is inspired by the rainforest trees of Borneo — the rooftop is fashioned after the native ririk leaf. With 7,435 square metre of rentable exhibition hall space, BCCK is one of the largest convention centres in Borneo. Its highlight facilities include the Great Hall that seats up to 5,000 people theatre-style.

2020 will be a momentous year for BCCK as it will be organising the inaugural Asia Pacific Tourism Expo & Conference, which congregates practitioners and professionals from the tourism and hospitality industry. The venue of the annual conference will alternate between BCCK and other venues in Asia-Pacific.

Eric van Piggelen, BCCK’s chief executive officer, said: “To spark innovative practices and collaborative opportunities, BCCK has set up a new think tank group, which comprises a home-grown team of creative individuals, who endeavour to find fresh solutions to empower the business events industry for the next 10 years and beyond.”

Borneo Convention Centre Kuching’s key achievements

AIPC Gold Quality Standards Certification 2018
AIPC Apex Award 2018 — Top 17 finalist in the Best Client-Rated Convention Centre category
rAWr Awards 2017 — International Conference Award for Excellence (Below 1,000 delegates) and Purpose-Built Convention and Exhibition Centre Award for Excellence (Below Gross 15,000sqm of total saleable space)

For more information, visit bcck.com.my

Sabre Hospitality Solutions’ Frank Trampert heads up APAC, EMEA in new role

By TTGmice

November 8, 2019

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Frank Trampert has been appointed as managing director & CCO, EMEA & APAC, Sabre Hospitality Solutions.

In this role, Trampert will be responsible for the financial performance, customer engagement and overall growth of Sabre Hospitality Solutions across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

Having joined Sabre in January 2017 to lead the company’s Asia-Pacific region, Trampert first oversaw the growth of Sabre Hospitality Solutions within the region, until he took on an interim role earlier this year to include EMEA within the territories he was accountable for.

Prior to joining Sabre, Trampert held numerous roles within the industry, including leadership positions with Wyndham Hotel Group in Hong Kong, Carlson Hotels across four continents, Brand Karma in Singapore, and most recently, as the CEO for Tune Hotel Group in Malaysia.

Fusion names Akshay Moza new CCO to spearhead company expansion

By TTGmice

November 7, 2019

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Vietnam-based hotel & resort company Fusion has appointed industry veteran Akshay Moza to the new role of chief commercial officer (CCO).

Moza first joined Fusion in 2015 as group sales and marketing director, and after three years in the role he was promoted to group commercial director. In this latest appointment as CCO, he will take on greater responsibility for developing the portfolio of hotels and resorts, and will help lead the charge with new projects.

The industry veteran has over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry with his career spanning the UK, India and South-east Asia, having worked at hospitality companies like Absolute Hotel Services and Franklyn Hotels & Resorts (formerly known as Stein Hotels and Resorts), as well as major hotel groups like Hilton, Melía, and Millennium & Copthorne Hotels.

Laguna Phuket builds up for mega incentives

By Karen Yue

November 7, 2019

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Mega incentive gatherings are increasingly knocking on Phuket’s door, and the Laguna Phuket integrated resort has responded with new, large venues, as well as expanded and revitalised accommodation options.

The 672m² Similan Ballroom at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort will open its doors in January 2020, joining two other new event venues that debuted this year. The 454m² Lagoon Deck at Banyan Tree Phuket was launched in May 2019, while the 1,500m² ACES Laguna Phuket convention and exhibition centre was unveiled in September.

Ravi: working closely with authorities to keep up MICE demand for Phuket

Ravi Chandran, executive vice president of Banyan Tree Group and managing director of Laguna Phuket, shared with TTGmice: “With capacity for some 1,500 people, I’d say ACES is the largest event venue now in Phuket. All our venues combined have the ability to cater to all sort of events and, more importantly, allow us to support event planners seamlessly.”

While Ravi noted that the wave of mega incentive events is benefiting many hotels on the Thai island, Laguna Phuket itself has enjoyed a fair share of such gatherings through the years. In 2012, Amway China sent 15,000 winners its way, with arrivals staggered across a full month from April to May. The following year, Nu Skin Hong Kong brought 4,000 business associates to Laguna Phuket.

Angsana Laguna Phuket alone was bought out by an IT company in 2018 for 500 people, and again in 2019 by another IT company for three president’s club events with 500 people each.

“The demand from mega incentives remains strong for us into the coming years. We have just confirmed Amway Russia for March 27-31 in 2021, which will bring 1,956 people to Laguna Phuket. The group will use all our hotels and event venues. Angsana Laguna Phuket will see 305 rooms in use; Cassia Phuket, 158; Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, 192; Laguna Holiday Club Resort, 98; and Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort, 225,” revealed Ravi.

He attributed this trend to the destination’s improved accessibility for key markets around the world, presence of hotels with large venues, and greater destination exposure through weddings that were attended by global citizens who were motivated to return for leisure and business events.

“Most of the mega incentive events we get are from Asia. Our top source markets in this region are China, India, Singapore and Hong Kong, where many companies are based. We are also seeing strong emerging demand from Russia, as well as North America where we have a MICE representative to help us drive business. Many leads have also surfaced in Dubai,” Ravi said, adding that direct air access from Russia and many cities in India has been “a real gamechanger for Phuket”.

However, Ravi was quick to point out that Phuket is facing intense competition from Danang, Vietnam, especially for the China market, and Laguna Phuket “has to up its game”.

To this end, the integrated resort has continued its investment in staff training through the Banyan Tree Management Academy, as well as resort expansion and improvement. Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket’s collection of club rooms were “extensively” revamped at the end of 2018, while 45 new Banyan Tree Serenity Pool Villas have opened at the 18-hole Laguna Golf Phuket. Angsana Oceanview Residences – which will be located alongside Angsana Laguna Phuket and offer private pools – is targeted for completion in 2021.

“We are working with a variety of partners, such as the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, to market Phuket and keep leisure and MICE demand coming throughout the year,” he said.

New mega conference venue joins Phuket’s function portfolio

Ritz-Carlton opens in Pune

Veranita Yosephine Sinaga gets in hot seat at AirAsia Indonesia

Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown names DOSM

New GM named for Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh Bay

The South-east Asia Special: Brunei

Borneo Convention Centre Kuching: 10 Years Of Meeting Expectations

“The entire state of Sarawak was eagerly looking on to see what we could do, and ten years down the road, the results speak for themselves.”

– Datuk Hajjah Raziah binti Mahmud-Geneid, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching chairman

Sabre Hospitality Solutions’ Frank Trampert heads up APAC, EMEA in new role

Fusion names Akshay Moza new CCO to spearhead company expansion

Laguna Phuket builds up for mega incentives

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