Beyond Asia: Germany; UAE; and France, Costa Rica

July 18, 2019

Ritz-Carlton, Berlin completes renovations
The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin has completed its €40 million (US$44.8 million) renovation which encompassed its guestrooms and suites, conference, wellness, lobby and lounge areas.

New restaurant Pots offers “German classics with a modern twist” and features an open kitchen, while the terrace overlooking Henriette-Herz Park has been redesigned.

Other facilities include The Curtain Club with a stage for live music, Fragrances Bar with a cocktail menu inspired by perfumes, a revamped wellness space with two saunas, swimming pool and fitness centre, and eight meeting and events spaces including a 910m2 divisible ballroom.

Six Senses plants flags in France and Costa Rica
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas will open new properties in France’s UNESCO-listed Loire Valley, and Costa Rica’s Papagayo Peninsula.

The resort in France will be situated within the Les Bordes Estate, a 560ha site in the Sologne forest, home to Les Bordes Golf Club. The development will incorporate equestrian and tennis centres, an organic farm, an art gallery, a petting farm, a swimming lake with beach, watersports, and biking and walking trails. Although the golf club’s two 18-hole courses are private, hotel guests will have access to a new Gil Hanse-designed par three course and a new golf practice facility.

Six Senses Loire Valley will boast 88 guest suites and villas and a range of on-site amenities that will serve incentive groups well – a meeting and conference centre, outdoor event facilities such as walled gardens and lawns, an all-day restaurant and lounge bar, and a speciality restaurant. Six Senses Loire Valley is expected to open in May 2022.

Over in Central America, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has teamed up with US-based The Canyon Group to develop its first resort in the subcontinent.

Six Senses Papagayo will be part of the 930ha Papagayo Peninsula, a mixed-use luxury development. Conceptualised by London-based architect John Heah, the property will comprise 41 pool villas, alongside 31 residences that will be available for sale.

The highlight of the resort will be Six Senses wellness programming along with a spa and fitness centre. There will also be an organic farm located in the property including fruit, vegetable and herb gardens.

Emaar opens Vida Emirates Hills hotel
Emaar Hospitality Group has unveiled the upscale, 160-key Vida Emirates Hills hotel in Dubai, the UAE.

Amenities and facilities include complimentary bicycles and electric scooters that guests can use to explore the neighbourhood, three F&B options, a fitness centre, a swimming pool, as well as 10 meeting rooms.

Corporate events favouring a friendly golf tournament on the side have two options: Emirates Golf Club, a par 72, 7,301-yard layout, designed by architect Karl Litten, and the 265-acre Address Montgomerie championship golf course, designed by Colin Montgomerie in association with Desmond Muirhead.

Incentive game changers

By Adelaine Ng

July 18, 2019

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Queens-Wharf-Integrated-Resort-with-bridge-(artist-impression)--4792-River-All-Hero-VIEW015_02 — Artist’s impression of the future Queen’s Wharf integrated resort in Brisbane

Yes, that’s a soaring skydeck but it’s not in Singapore; it’s in Brisbane. Or at least it will be soon, as part of a massive development underway in the city to boost tourism and significantly up the ante as a destination for incentive programmes.

Brisbane has an impressive A$15 billion-plus (US$10.9 billion) currently in major projects either under construction or planned to 2026. This includes a new parallel runway at Brisbane Airport and a new International Cruise Ship Terminal by next year, and a much anticipated Queen’s Wharf integrated resort which will change the city’s skyline and give Australia’s third biggest city a leisure and entertainment precinct worthy of incentive tourism prospects.

Artist’s impression of the future Queen’s Wharf integrated resort in Brisbane

The airport redevelopment itself will cost A$3.8 billion, with A$1.3 billion going into the new runway which will double the airport’s capacity, drawing comparisons to Singapore’s Changi Airport and Hong Kong Airport. Once completed next year, it will be lauded the best runway system in Australia.

“The parallel runway at the airport is really critical,” said Juliet Alabaster, general manager of business events for Brisbane Marketing.

“The more aviation access we can get into the city, the more opportunity we have to attract incentive groups,” she said.

In fact, optimism about the airpot’s developments and Brisbane’s new offerings have already begun working its charm to secure additional flights, according to Brisbane Airport’s executive general manager of aviation development and partnerships, Jim Parashos.

“It’s (been) a key enabler for us to attract new services,” he said.

“Particularly for key growth markets in Asia, where we can now serve long-range narrow body aircraft like the A321neo. Even in the lead up to the new runway opening we’ve had most of our growth come in from Asia including Hainan Airlines from Shenzhen, Malaysia Airlines resuming its four-weekly service, Philippine Airlines starting non-stop flights, and in June the launch of Thai AirAsia X flights.”

As for that skydeck, which will be the jewel in the crown when the Queen’s Wharf integrated resort is finished in 2022, imagine a connected space of five- and six-star hotels, 50 bars and restaurants, a cross-river pedestrian bridge, boutique shopping, vast green spaces, casino, meeting spaces, theatre and nine restored heritage buildings.

The arc-shaped skydeck will offer 360-degree views of Brisbane river and the city, provide spaces for events, and is anticipated to be the destination’s hot new selfie spot.

This is in addition to infrastructure developments in the next five years including a tunnel rail line that will unlock bottlenecks in the city’s transport network and a new rapid transit system called Brisbane Metro.

Already a lure for the events market is the recently completed Howard Smith Wharves which revitalised an 1880s-era site and now offers a five-star Art Series Hotel, an exhibition and events centre, craft brewery and 2.7 hectares of public space for markets and festivals.

There’s also new hotel stock to whet planners’ appetite.

Thirty new hotels will be delivered between 2014 and 2024, which is good news even for established accommodation like Brisbane Marriott, which has just celebrated 21 years and finished a major redevelopment earlier this year (see Marketplace, page 8).

“I think we’ve got some of the best new hotels in Australia which makes it so much easier for us to sell what Brisbane can offer to all customers,” remarked general manager John Douglas.

So what turned Brisbane on its head? “Probably three years ago we really looked at our strategy as the CVB for the city and we hadn’t been doing a lot in the incentive space. We didn’t have the products and we were seen as a corporate town,” said Alabaster.

Fast forward to hosting Tourism Australia’s signature incentive event Dreamtime in 2017 with 100 international incentive buyers as guests, and Brisbane was “leapfrogged into consideration”.

Douglas, Parashos and Alabaster also speak from the same page when it comes to the Asian market, confirming that it is front and centre of their marketing strategies. From Chinese language wayfinders at Brisbane Airport to Marriott’s Chinese-friendly Liyiu programme, the city’s key tourism stakeholders are fully on board with Brisbane Marketing’s Asia-centric vision. And the efforts are paying off.

“Last financial year we only placed 14 financial bids,” said Alabaster.

“For this year we’re already up to 26. So I guess we’re starting to see the fruits of our labour in terms of opportunities coming through those relationships that we are growing and building on. In terms of percentage, in the past our overall economic impact figure for the bureau would’ve been five per cent – small.

“This year it’s moving towards 20 per cent of what we (anticipate winning) for the city,” she continued, also noting that a lot of business events are booked independent of the bureau.

The developments have earned an approving nod from Tourism Australia’s former managing director John O’Sullivan, who noted that Brisbane is making an impression in Asia.

“On my travels throughout Asia, (the Queen’s Wharf development) is a project that has captured the imagination of many of our Asian partners,” he said. “The expansion of Brisbane Airport with the second runway will give the city the potential to become the nation’s gateway to Asia”.

So towering business event possibilities for Brisbane? You might say they’re sky-high.

Swiss-Belhotel goes to Bogor

By TTGmice

July 18, 2019

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Swiss-Belhotel International has expanded its Indonesian portfolio with the launch of a hotel in Bogor, West Java.

The 20-storey property has 150 rooms and suites, where all rooms come with free Wi-Fi and IPTV systems. VIPs can be housed in the Presidential Suite – a sanctuary on the 20th floor which features an open-plan living and dining area.

Swiss-Belhotel Bogor

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The hotel, conveniently located on Jalan Salak, also offers facilities such as an outdoor swimming pool with a cafe on the eighth floor, a fitness centre, an all-day restaurant on the seventh floor; and a business centre.

Meanwhile, event planners may avail the 14 flexible function spaces, able to host a variety of events for groups between 12 and 800 delegates.

Hylton Lipkin returns to Fusion’s fold as GM of Hue property

By TTGmice

July 17, 2019

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Fusion has hired Hylton Lipkin as the general manager of Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion, a natural hot springs resort and hotel on the outskirts of Vietnam’s imperial capital of Hue.

A South African, Lipkin has spent the last two decades honing his spa and management skills around the globe. His most recent role was as general manager of boutique Lao Poet Hotel in Vientiane.

Prior to that he was part of the Fusion organisation, working as executive assistant manager of Fusion Resort Phu Quoc, and was key in developing the property’s wellness concept.

His experience includes having worked as executive assistant manager and wellness director at Arovada by Akaryn, a private island wellness retreat in Cambodia, and the Ayurah Wellness Centers in Thailand from 2014 to 2016. Prior to that, Lipkin spent a year in India where he was head of operations for Apollo Life.

Before he moved to Asia, Lipkin worked as spa and recreation director at Angsana Resort Balaclava Mauritius from 2011 – 2013, and as regional spa director for Angsana based out of Bahrain, overseeing six spas in Egypt, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE from 2008 – 2011. He has also held spa director positions in Hawaii and French Polynesia.

Catch up with Petrina Goh

By Rachel AJ Lee

July 16, 2019

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How did you first enter the events industry?
Some people start off knowing what they want to do with their career, but I went in the reverse by finding out what I didn’t like – which was to be in a deskbound job.

One of my family members introduced me to working part-time in a hotel, and I realised I really liked meeting people. I then realised that if I’m good at it and I like it, why not make a career out of it? I was subsequently introduced to an events agency (MCI Group) by an ex-colleague.

At every stage of my career I’ve been lucky to have good mentors, and be able to learn from both my managers and peers.

What is the best part of your job?
The colleagues and the team that I work with. They are all very driven to learn new things and trends. I love being able to bounce off ideas and learn from my peers.

The other fun thing is that I get to travel so much. I was 21 when I started in events, and being able to travel around the world at that age – until now – has been a good part of my job. For me, travel doesn’t lose its lustre. In fact, it makes me want to visit a country at least twice, once for work and once for leisure. I get two very different perspectives when I revisit a country. I also use it to bookmark where I want to go next! For example, I want to go back to Switzerland, Ireland, and China.

Do you think you’ll retire in this industry?
I definitely want to continue doing events. I think the industry is dynamic, and it never gets boring because every event is different, and every client I deal with is different. It is the chameleon-like nature of the job that I really love.

How do you motivate yourself daily?
My motto is: pursue greatness anyway. This is because in the events industry, working 15 to 20 hour days, and sometimes weekends, can be really tiring. The important thing is to look forward, and always try to outdo yourself.

What’s the most memorable event you organised?
In Ireland, I organised a Game of Thrones experience – complete with the appearance of several actors – for delegates who were fans of the series. The experience even made me, a non-fan, want to watch the series.

It was fun watching something I plan come to life. One thing I realised about being an event planner is having to be a little bit selfless, as you’re planning a best experience for other people.

People come first, and that’s how great events materialise. I get a great sense of satisfaction when I watch what I build comes to life.

What do people think you do for a living?
I don’t think my friends and family have any idea what I do for a living! They think I travel very frequently for holidays, thanks to the fancy pictures with Hawaii hula boys and Game of Thrones actors (laughs). Some people also think I’m a tour operator!

Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
I really love doing art – drawing and painting. But I’m not great at it (laughs). Most of the art I do is hidden in some cupboard somewhere because I think it’s too shameful to show the world. But I try it anyway, (in reference to her daily motto) and because it’s a good outlet for stress. – Rachel AJ Lee

Malaysia hands out new RM5m tourism matching fund to private sector

By S Puvaneswary

July 16, 2019

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Malaysia is stepping up its promotions as it works towards 30 million tourists; Malaysia was this year’s Official Partner Country of ITB Berlin

A new RM5 million (US$1.2 million) tourism fund announced by the Malaysian government is set to provide a much-needed boost for private-sector players in their destination promotion efforts, as the country works towards 30 million tourist arrivals for Visit Malaysia Year 2020.

This is the first time that such a fund has been offered, and if it is well received by the private sector, it will likely be continued next year, Musa Yusof, director-general, Tourism Malaysia, revealed at a press conference last week.

Based on feedback during ITB Berlin earlier this year, Musa said some European operators had dropped Malaysia from their brochures due to a lack of demand. The low demand could be due in part to the cut in Tourism Malaysia’s advertising budget, resulting in low destination awareness in the market, he said.

The fund, offered by the Ministry of Finance, is a matching grant that can be used in promotional and marketing efforts – such as participation in international and domestic tourism-related events – geared towards wooing and increasing both international and domestic footfall to Malaysia.

The grant works on the basis of reimbursable financial assistance where eligible companies, such as accommodation operators, product operators, integrated resorts, or inbound agents, as well as travel, hospitality and shopping associations and community-based tourism projects, may claim 50 per cent of the actual cost of their promotional project or the maximum amount allowed for each project category.

Projects that are eligible for the reimbursement fall into three main categories: participation in travel fairs and exhibitions, organising of roadshows, and sales missions and business events.

Organisations participating in international or domestic travel trade and consumer events can claim up to RM5,000 per event, while participation in overseas equivalents allows up to RM15,000 in reimbursement per event.

As well, promotional programmes for business events in Malaysia can claim up to RM5,000 per event; or up to RM10,000 per event for overseas promotions.

To be eligible, companies must be registered and licensed in Malaysia, and have been in business for more than a year. Applications are to be submitted 21 days before the date of the programme/activity, and approved projects will receive the grant within 14 days, shared Musa.

A committee within Tourism Malaysia will evaluate applications, and approval will be given by the director-general of Tourism Malaysia or the deputy director-general of Tourism Malaysia.

A ceiling of RM200,000 has also been imposed on each grant recipient to ensure equal distribution of the fund. Entities which have accumulated claims from various projects totalling to RM200,000 will no longer be considered.

Inbound business events companies welcome the fund and are eager to get started on intensified sales and marketing efforts.

Adam Kamal, general manager, Tour East Malaysia, said the grant would help him double his company’s marketing efforts and participation in more international business events tradeshows, and allow him to “focus more on growing business events from (key markets) China and India”.

Prasanth Chandra, group CEO, Apollo Conferences, intends to use the grant to support stronger promotions in China for both business events and leisure. “By the end of this year, we also hope to open a sales office in Beijing,” he revealed.

Ally Bhoonee, executive director, World Avenues, expects the funding to help his team participate in Arabian Travel Market and World Travel Market, which have become expensive trade events to attend due to the weakened ringgit.

PCEB’s new MICE campaign dangles perks and event support

By S Puvaneswary

July 16, 2019

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ExperiencePenang2020_Ashwin_Gunasekeran_explains_what_the_new_campaign_is_about — Ashwin Gunasekeran explains what the new campaign is about

A new mobile app, support programme for events, a CSR initiative and an extended airline partnership are all part of a new campaign launched on Saturday by the Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) to enhance the destination’s appeal for business events.

Entitled Penang 2020: BE Unfiltered, the campaign made its debut along with Experience Penang Year 2020, state-level initiative by the Penang State EXCO Office for Tourism Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage; and Visit Malaysia 2020, a national initiative by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia.

Experience Penang Year 2020

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The first pillar of the new campaign is the PCEB Mobile App, built for event delegates. It offers information on Penang, a meeting planners guide, and a calendar showing upcoming events and other business gatherings happening in the city.

Next, PCEB’s comprehensive support programme offers various support structures for events hosted in Penang, with perks provided by Penang’s business events community.

The bureau has also created a CSR programme called Penang Turtle Cares, where business events groups can contribute towards improving its conservation facilities in Penang.

Lastly, PCEB and Malaysia Airlines have extended their strategic partnership until end 2020. The airline offers discounted rates or complimentary tickets to organisers for marketing purposes, and site inspection trips for conferences and exhibitions in Penang, as well as discounted rates to fly speakers and hosted buyers in.

The booking period for these programmes is until end-2020, for business events arrivals up to December 31, 2021.

PCEB CEO, Ashwin Gunasekeran, hopes the campaign will bring about a 10 per cent year-on-year increase in room nights and delegates, and a 30 per cent increase in economic impact to the state.

The campaign is targeting some 3,000 confirmed business events, bringing with it some 360,000 participants.

The estimated economic impact for business events in Penang has grown by 62 per cent, from RM808.3 million (US$196.5 million) in 2016 to RM1.3 billion last year. The number of delegates also increased by 130 per cent in the same period, from 141,864 delegates in 2016 to 327,627 delegates in 2018.

IFFS goes on a break after 36 years

By TTGmice

July 16, 2019

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The International Furniture Fair Singapore (IFFS), a massive sourcing platform and design-led exhibition that is highly regarded in the global furniture and furnishings industry, will take time off in 2020.

The decision, announced by IFFS chairman Ernie Koh on Monday, was made to allow the event to take a year to “rethink, review, revitalise”.

IFFS goes on hiatus. Photo credit: IFFS Facebook

Koh said in a statement: “The global furniture and furnishings industry is changing rapidly as new technologies and new lifestyles have ushered in new challenges and spawned new opportunities.

“For IFFS to remain the most distinctive channel for regional and international companies – to penetrate the global market with alternative solutions and meet the ever-changing needs of tomorrow’s urban living, we need to transform (soon).”

Koh shared that “new, exciting and relevant themes” will be conceptualised to “elevate IFFS to the next level”.

As its key objective is to serve creative enterprises, IFFS will need to embrace transformation to help it survive economic gyrations and attract talented people to come on board. It will also need to capitalise on the technology revolution that is disrupting traditional business formulas and breaking established design mindsets.

The last IFFS was held from March 9 to 12 this year at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

YAANA Corporate Challenge back for a third cycle

By TTGmice

July 16, 2019

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Tourism investment group YAANA Ventures is calling for sign ups for its corporate networking and fundraising bicycle tour, the YAANA Corporate Challenge (YCC).

This is the third edition of the tour, and will take place in two countries this year – North Vietnam (October 18-20), and at Inle Lake, Myanmar (December 6-8).

Both events are open to senior management and leaders from any business or non-profit organisation. As corporate networking and fundraising events, both YCC events are based around sustainability and conservation, and will highlight the quality of outdoor travel in Vietnam and Myanmar.

All proceeds from the Vietnam tour will go to Operation Smile Vietnam and Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. In Myanmar, beneficiaries are the Bagan Plastic Campaign, the Minzontaung Burmese Star Tortoise Centre and the Khiri Reach Water Well Project.

Both YCC events will feature dinner and a networking event with guest speaker and panel discussion on the first day, a bike programme and dinner event on the second day, and another bike programme and closing on the last day.

Cyclists will need a moderate level of fitness as both tours cover 125 km in two days.

Corporate sponsorship packages are available at US$5,000 (three riders), US$3,500 (two riders), and US$2,000 (one rider). All packages include bicycles, full back-up support, rider jerseys, three-night hotel stays, meals and branding opportunities and publicity for participating companies.

The inaugural YCC took place in 2017 with 18 riders cycling 226km from Quy Nhon to Hoi An in Vietnam. It raised US$25,000 for Operation Smile, which funded 33 surgeries for children.

Ascott continues expansion spree with another 26 properties

By TTGmice

July 16, 2019

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Somerset_Cam_Ranh_Bay_and_Vertu_Cam_Ranh_Bay — Somerset Cam Ranh Bay and Vertu Cam Ranh Bay

CapitaLand’s wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has signed 26 properties numbering over 6,000 units across 22 cities in 11 countries.

The properties, which will open in phases from 2019 to 2023, are mostly signed under management contracts, with three on franchise agreements.

Through these new signings, Ascott has made inroads into six new cities across Asia-Pacific, Central Asia and Africa. It has forayed into Atyrau in Kazakhstan, Nairobi in Kenya, Yokohama in Japan, Seongnam in South Korea, as well as Cam Ranh and Hoi An in Vietnam.

Ascott has also expanded its presence in 14 cities – Melbourne and Sydney in Australia; Chengdu, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Xi’an in China; Bogor and Jambi in Indonesia; Cyberjaya in Kuala Lumpur; Cebu in the Philippines; and Bangkok in Thailand.

To cater to the burgeoning middle-class segment in the region, Ascott expanded its select service business hotel brand Citadines Connect to Bangkok in Thailand, after Sydney in Australia and New York in the US. Ascott also brought the hotel brands under Tauzia, which it has a majority stake in, to countries such as Malaysia and Vietnam, beyond its predominantly Indonesia market.

In a statement, Ascott revealed that the majority of the new properties are in Asia-Pacific as the region continues to see strong demand for lodging in tandem with lower cost of travel, improving travel infrastructure and the middle-class’s growing disposable income and aspiration to travel. By 2022, global lodging sales are forecast to reach US$812 billion, with Asia-Pacific remaining the second largest market.

Beyond Asia: Germany; UAE; and France, Costa Rica

Incentive game changers

Swiss-Belhotel goes to Bogor

Hylton Lipkin returns to Fusion’s fold as GM of Hue property

Catch up with Petrina Goh

Malaysia hands out new RM5m tourism matching fund to private sector

PCEB’s new MICE campaign dangles perks and event support

IFFS goes on a break after 36 years

YAANA Corporate Challenge back for a third cycle

Ascott continues expansion spree with another 26 properties

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