New Kambri precinct sharpens Canberra’s MICE edge

August 13, 2019

Following an A$260 million (US$175.8 million) redevelopment, Canberra’s Kambri precinct now boasts modern and versatile conference and events venues that are available for hire.

Located a 12-minute drive from Canberra’s city centre, Kambri offers two multipurpose spaces – one with 500 retractable seats and the other with 220 retractable seats, a 300-seat cinema, a drama theatre for 150 guests seated, and an exhibition space with a large outdoor balcony overlooking the precinct.

These are located within the Culture and Events buildings, where there are also a lobby bar and kitchen facilities to support catered functions. A list of preferred caterers are available for planners’ choosing.

Offering a new spin to catering in Canberra are Kambri’s catering duo of Sammy and Bella, sisters who first rose to fame as the winners of TV show, My Kitchen Rules, in 2011. They’ve since gone on to appear as guests and resident chefs on dozens of TV shows, as well as opening restaurants, plus writing, photographing and blogging about food.

In addition to the Culture and Events buildings, the six-floor Marie Raey Teaching Centre building offers a multitude of rooms and cutting-edge technology for programming opportunities outside of University teaching hours.

This includes the top level ‘Superfloor’ with high ceilings, uninterrupted views across Canberra, an outdoor balcony, and a flexible collaborative environment for up to 300 people.

For those wanting a dynamic non-traditional space, there is an Amphitheatre with tiered seating adjacent to Sullivans Creek, as well as a range of other hireable outdoor options including University Avenue, The Lane, and The Lawn.

While business events are welcomed to use the facilities, Kambri’s calendar of events will also be kept packed with concerts, comedy shows, sporting action, and art exhibitions.

Harbour Grand Kowloon unveils new rooms, facilities this month

By TTGmice

August 13, 2019

Harbour Grand Kowloon will launch 360 guestrooms in the new Tower as well as revamped Grand Ballroom and harbour-facing Salons this month.

The new Tower is connected to the hotel’s main building by a sky bridge, and its location promises unobstructed views of Victoria Harbour and the city in more than 75 per cent of the hotel’s room inventory.

With the new guestrooms, the hotel now offers over 900 keys to travellers.

All new guestrooms come with contemporary furniture, exquisite marble bathrooms and modern facilities.

The renovated Grand Ballroom and Salons are now dressed in bronze with hints of teal and gray accents, and adorned with sculptural chandeliers made with crystals from Swarovski, offering a perfect setting for celebratory and gala events.

The Grand Ballroom can take up to 600 guests for cocktails and 33 round tables for banquets.

The venues are also outfitted with state-of-the-art facilities including a high definition LED wall in the Grand Ballroom and built-in LCD projectors and screens.

The Grand Ballroom and Salons join the Whampoa Conference Centre which opened on the same floor late last year. The latter has seven function rooms, all with natural daylight. These combined facilities span 2,350m2, allowing Harbour Grand Kowloon to position itself strongly for meetings and events.

As well, Waterfront Bar & Terrace and Corner Café have also been given a new look.

“Harbour Grand Kowloon has a long-standing reputation for its warmth and comfort, and the recent renovations and new Tower are big steps in improving our guests’ hotel experience,” said Tady Cheng, director of rooms.

MALAYSIA BUSINESS EVENTS WEEK 2019 IS HAPPENING ON 28TH AUGUST

By TTG

August 13, 2019

Brought to you by MYCEB

Themed “Progressive Momentum”, MBEW 2019 is put in place by the national bureau with the significance of ensuring that Malaysia forges ahead progressively as Asia’s Business Events Hub. This momentum is powered by dynamic collaborations, the courage to constantly push limits and the constant need for every player to remind themselves that the industry professionalism bar must be continuously raised. Moreover, MBEW 2019 helps participants to strengthen the business events industry in Malaysia through knowledge exchange, building relationships and to elevate the professionalism of the Malaysia industry players to be on par with international level.

Following the success of the 4th edition of MBEW which was held last year at Genting Highlands, the event has recorded 175 participations comprising delegates from the industry, association, academician, government and media partners.

The MBEW 2019 offers tailored outline programmes to allow participants to share knowledge, establish new and influential contacts and be involved in the industry with the experts through series of talks. This year MBEW 2019 offers outstanding array of speakers and interactive programme prepared for this year’s edition.

Among the objective can be achieved by participating MBEW 2019 include custom designed programme featuring series of talks by the professional industry experts. This will enable participants to get exposed with variety points of view, ideas and trends concurrently create better collaboration and networking opportunities. Hence, this will improve individual self-development which leads to new ways of conducting more productive business and a great way to maximise your brand.

Moving towards sustainable event practices to reduce the usage of plastic and non-recyclable item, MBEW 2019 will be featuring a new initiative with the introduction of its new hashtag campaign #mbeNOWASTAGE. As the initiative highlighted, participants are encouraged to bring their own water bottle throughout the day.

Bringing to significance, MBEW 2019 will be coincides with World Tourism Conference (WTC) 2019 which will be held from 26 to 28 August 2019. The conference will serve as a platform to explore new possibilities and potentials it holds within the discovery of new frontiers in the tourism sector.

To register for the 5th Malaysia Business Events Week (MBEW) 2019, please visit the official registration page at www.mbew.com.my/register/registration/.

For more information on the event, including programme updates, please visit www.mbew.com.my

WorldHotels names new president for North America, managing director for APAC

By TTGmice

August 13, 2019

Gergory-Habeeb-Melissa-Gan — From left: Gergory Habeeb; Melissa-Gan

WorldHotels announced the expansion of its leadership team with the appointment of Gregory Habeeb as president, North America.

For the past six years, Habeeb served as global vice president, hotel & hospitality, for British luxury fragrance brand Molton Brown.

Prior to that, Habeeb held a number of positions in luxury hospitality organisations, before being appointed as the vice president of hotel development for WorldHotels.

Meanwhile, Melissa Gan has been promoted to managing director, Asia-Pacific, rounding out a team that continues to be supported by Asia-Pacific president Roland Jegge.

Gan joined WorldHotels in November 2005 and has been influential in growing the brand across the region.

Meet at the DMZ and spread the word on peace

By TTGmice

August 12, 2019

South Korean tour company DMZ Spy Tour is promoting two new experiences for corporate groups that give participants a clearer understanding of the relationship between North and South Korea.

The tour company specialises in tours at and around the DMZ – the Korean Demilitarized Zone which exists on the border between North and South Korea.

Shrek Lee, head director of DMZ Spy Tour, explained that as tensions between the two Koreas rose last year along with renewed media attention on North Korea’s nuclear weaponry, foreigners were hesitant to visit the South as they thought there was unrest on the Korean Peninsula.

“So I approached Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and South Korean army agencies, and told them we needed to do something to show travellers how we are able to defend ourselves and that there is peace at the border,” Lee said.

As a result, the signature DMZ Spy Tour, with an angle tailored for corporate groups, was born. The tour comprises activities at the South Korean army camp, a conference opportunity at an indoor venue, an outdoor barbecue and entertainment in the form of a K-pop cover concert or jazz concert.

The other corporate tour is a boardgame-based teambuilding activity built around the Korean War, and a private tour along the North Korean Spy Commando Invasion Route.
Both are good for groups of up to 70 pax.

Lee claims that the signature DMZ Spy Tour is offered exclusively by his company, and has so far been popular among American and Singaporean holidaymakers. “Bookings from OTAs out of Singapore alone (numbered at) 80 last year, bringing us an estimated revenue of US$50,000,” he said.

For the MICE spin-offs, Lee said promotion work has only just started, through fam trips organised with KTO, but feedback has been positive.

“Buyers who went on these experiences were pleasantly surprised that the border is so peaceful and that meetings can even be held near the border,” he added.

7,500-pax IDA Annual Congress to descend on Thailand this month

By TTGmice

August 8, 2019

The 2019 International Dragon Award (IDA) Annual Congress will take place in Bangkok’s IMPACT Muang Thong Thani from August 10 to 13 this year, bringing 7,500 international delegates to the Thai capital and making it the largest ever Chinese convention to Thailand.

The event is expected to generate revenue of up to 640 million Baht (US$20.7 million).

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) president Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya said in a press statement: “TCEB is delighted to welcome the 2019 IDA Annual Congress to Thailand. We won this event in 2017, following an inspection trip to Thailand by IDA Committee. We then attended the 2018 event in Yunnan last year to extend an invitation to their delegates to attend the 2019 edition in Thailand.

“This highlights the importance of the Chinese market to TCEB and Thailand, and helps raise the profile of Thailand as a conference destination. Thailand has a record profile of hosting mega-size convention every year and the 2019 IDA Annual Congress will be a trademark of such scale event for the Kingdom, as well as reiterates the country’s readiness and ability to host large and important international MICE events.”

The IDA Annual Congress is held in conjunction with the Worldwide Chinese Life Insurance Congress biennially. Worldwide Chinese insurance and financial professionals and top management join in this annual meeting, which has become the signature event of the industry. It has firmly enabled the worldwide Chinese financial and issuance sector to compete with the usually-focus-on-English industry on the international stage.

Kai Tu, chairman of the 2019 IDA Annual Congress, stated: “After an extensive search, we are pleased to select Bangkok as the location for our annual IDA conference. This is the second time that the IDA conference will be taking place in Thailand, and we are grateful for TCEB’s continued support and collaboration in helping us to bring the conference to the lovely city of Bangkok.”

Vistara plugs Jet Airways gap with global route expansion

By Pamela Chow

August 8, 2019

Indian full-service carrier Vistara is kicking its international expansion into high gear, following the collapse of rival Jet Airways which opened up opportunities in India’s aviation network.

The airline commenced its first international flight connecting Delhi and Singapore on August 6, and its Mumbai-Singapore route began yesterday. Coming up later this month are flights connecting India to Dubai and Bangkok.

Vistara’s Leslie Thng said that the airline will focus on regional expansion in 2019

These three new destinations are the first of many to come under Vistara’s expansion plans, shared Leslie Thng, Vistara’s CEO.

“Our focus for 2019 is mainly on the short-haul destinations in South-east Asia, the Middle East and South Asia. We plan to fly to Europe by 2020,” he said, adding that Vistara has “plans eventually to fly to Australia non-stop”.

Currently, the airline connects 27 destinations with a fleet of 30 Airbus A320s and seven Boeing 737-800NG aircrafts. By end-August, it will welcome another two 737 units, and between September to December, nine A320 units. January to March next year will also see the addition of more A321s as well as the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

The current fleet is on lease until 2023. Vistara intends to own a fleet of aircraft – specifically the 787 Dreamliner and A320s – and the company is confident it is able to “cross 100 aircraft in a number of years”.

Vistara is leveraging the demise of Jet Airways to expand its international network

Codeshare partnerships are another strategy for the extension of its global network. On top of its existing agreements with Japan Airlines, British Airways and United Airlines, the Indian carrier has recently expanded its partnership with Singapore Airlines (SIA), and is in talks with other airlines.

Under the expanded arrangement with SIA, Vistara plans to place its flight codes on 44 destinations across the US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

However, the airline has no plans to join any air alliances so as to maintain its flexibility in choosing partners. Thng also said that Vistara’s fare structure will be “reasonable and aligned with the customer” and that the airline will not be competing in the low-cost segment.

“After Jet Airways (suspended its operations), the proportion of full-service capacity in the domestic and international markets has shifted. At this moment in the domestic market, we have about five per cent of the market share. It is dominated by LCCs. But India is a market that is growing, and demand for premium products will continue to grow,” Thng said.

Following the demise of Jet Airways, Vistara took an estimated 600 former staff of the airline under its wing.

Nine associations join hands to advance MICE business in new era

By Caroline Boey

August 8, 2019

SACEOS (Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers) has kicked off the next chapter of its Asia-Pacific Community Building Manifesto, which was developed after the association’s annual signature SMF event last year and completed in October.

This year, SACEOS created the industry’s equivalent of the Davos World Economic Forum at SMF2019 with the participation and partnership of nine international organisations.

They were JMIC (Joint Meetings Industry Council), UFI (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry), PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association), SITE, (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence), BestCities Global Alliance, AIPC (International Association of Convention Centres), MPI (Meeting Professionals International), IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events and IAPCO (International Association of Professional Congress Organisers).

SACEOS president, Aloysius Arlando, told TTGmice the intention was to “develop or deepen partnerships with global and adjacent associations with their respective communities so that collectively we can realise the full potential of the business events industry in today’s digital and globally connected era”.

Arlando commented: “The manifesto is a bold commitment among like-minded stakeholders to confidently harness the new forces of change brought about by the digital era in transforming business events into a powerful platform for socio-economic, intellectual and commercial benefits for stakeholders.

On the thinking behind the manifesto, Arlando, who is also CEO of SingEx Holdings, said: “We are in exciting times where businesses, partnerships and value creation are being determined by the global interplay of digital, networks and talent.

“For this interplay to produce optimum results, business events have emerged as significant enabling platforms that will need to bring together different communities from various industry and functional groups to cross-learn and collaborate to develop new solutions to address industry challenges or emerging industry needs.

“SACEOS recognised that in its evolving journey as a leading association for the business meetings and events industry, it needs to strive to stay abreast, share key and relevant issues impacting the industry.”

Arlando shared that SACEOS had restructured its executive committee to focus on the key thrusts of future business events in line with the spirit of the manifesto, which focuses on people, technology, relationship, destinations, sales, business models and ecosystem.

He continued: “SACEOS will be rolling out agreed initiatives along these thrusts and in partnership with both global and adjacent associations so that the Singapore MICE industry can be future-ready.

“For instance, we have developed a total security programme covering both physical and cyber security with the support of UFI. We have also inked key partnerships with both Alibaba and Tencent-WeChat to leverage on cloud-based and mobile services respectively for our SMEs, which make up the bulk of our industry, to adopt.

SACEOS worked with Oscar Cerezales, COO of MCI Group, to spearhead the manifesto initiative.

Archipelago International opens hotel in West Jakarta

By TTGmice

August 8, 2019

Archipelago International has added the Aston Kartika Grogol Hotel & Conference Center to its portfolio.

Located in Grogol, West Jakarta, the hotel offers 189 keys across four categories and facilities such as a rooftop restaurant, fitness centre, spa, swimming pool and executive lounge.

The hotel is also equipped with a ballroom that can accommodate more than 2,000 guests in cocktail-style – the biggest in the West Jakarta area – and eight smaller function rooms.

FCC Angkor reopens as Avani-managed hotel

By TTGmice

August 8, 2019

An extensive renovation of one of Siem Reap’s most iconic colonial sites has transformed the FCC Mansion into FCC Angkor, managed by Avani Hotels & Resorts.

Located across the Royal Independence Gardens and Royal Residence, FCC Angkor was once the residence of the French colonial governor as well as the Foreign Correspondent’s Club – a favourite haunt among journalists during the war years which later became a popular meeting place for travellers from around the world.

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In the latest makeover spearheaded by Dutch-born, Bangkok-based talent Malee Whitcraft, alongside Phnom Penh-based Bloom Architecture, the rebranded FCC Angkor now boasts the restored Mansion restaurant, the Scribe bar, Visaya Spa, and two outdoor saltwater pools.

The 80 revamped rooms and suites feature vintage typewriter, rotary dial phones, Khmer carvings and framed front pages of regional newspapers among its decor, plus large windows and terraces that open to lush greenery.

A member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, FCC Angkor has reopened as the first renovated heritage hotel within the FCC Collection, with sister property FCC Phnom Penh currently undergoing renovation and anticipated to open in November 2020.