Beyond Asia: Austria; Germany; Dubai, UAE

July 4, 2019

(Clockwise from back) Durban KwaZulu-Natal Convention Bureau’s Sonto Mayise; ICCA’s Sina Buente; Congress Centrum Alpbach’s Thomas Kahn; Convention Service Innsbruck’s Alexandra Einwaller; ICCA’s James Rees; and Convention Bureau Tirol’s Christina Moser

ICCA picks Tirol for 2020 Association Meetings Programme
ICCA will be heading to the Tirol region of Austria next year for the fifth edition of the ICCA Association Meetings Programme (AMP).

It will be held from June 29 to July 1, 2020, and will be jointly hosted by the cities of Innsbruck and Alpbach.

An ICCA flagship event, the AMP is designed to bring ICCA members and association executives from all over the world together for open exchange through small-scale networking and interactive knowledge transfer about bidding, designing, organising and promoting international association meetings.

The four hosts of the ICCA AMP 2020 are Convention Bureau Tirol, Convention Service Innsbruck, Congress Messe Innsbruck, and Congress Centrum Alpbach.

Senthil Gopinath, ICCA’s CEO, said in a statement: “ICCA has been organising the AMP in different parts of the world, and I am glad that we are coming to Austria as we bring the event back to Europe. We have done in-depth research into how the AMP will build the knowledge economy in each host city, and next year will offer an exciting programme.”

AMEX GBT deepens German reach with DER Business Travel acquisition
American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) is set to acquire DER Business Travel (DER), the corporate travel arm of the DER Touristik Group, with the move granting the former a deeper reach into Germany’s small- and mid-sized clients sector.

The acquisition is conditioned on receipt of antitrust approvals and is expected to close in 3Q2019.

A GBT spokesperson told TTGmice that both companies will continue to operate business as usual after the deal closes, and there will be no changes to how clients are serviced. However, both companies stand to gain from each other’s strengths.

“Clients will benefit from the local servicing experience that caters to their needs, while also having access to GBT technology and products. DER clients can also use GBT’s global expertise and experience to expand their travel programmes outside of Germany,” explained the spokesperson.

Elyes Mrad, GBT’s senior vice president and managing director, International, said in a statement that “the acquisition is a great opportunity for everyone involved”.

Also commenting on the move, Mark Tantz, DER managing director, said: “GBT and DER are both people-driven organisations with a passion for providing the best technology and service to clients. With GBT’s scale and proprietary tech stack and our expertise and relationships in Germany, this is a real opportunity to offer a new, collective value proposition to German businesses.”

DER’s corporate travel business is headquartered in Frankfurt and operates in 42 locations across Germany with approximately 600 employees.

When the deal closes, DER employees will join approximately 17,400 GBT employees. DER leadership teams across operations, commercial, process management and online solutions will report into the GBT market lead for those functions, noted the GBT spokesperson.

The organisation within Germany is led by Florian Storp, vice president of Central Europe. – Karen Yue

Dubai tourists to get free SIM cards
Tourists above 18 years can now obtain a free Sim card from telecommunications provider Du when visiting Dubai, thanks to a new initiative by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).

The SIM card will be valid for one month, and offers three minutes of talk time and 20MB of free data. Travellers with transit visas visit visas, visas on arrival and GCC citizens arriving at Dubai International Airport are able to take advantage of the complimentary service.

Japan’s Royal Park Hotels appoints first female GM

By TTGmice

July 4, 2019

Royal Park Hotels has appointed Hiroko Seki as the general manager of The Royal Park Canvas – Ginza 8, becoming the first-ever female general manager in the history of the Japan-headquartered hospitality group.

Seki has more than 16 years of hospitality experience under her belt, having worked in overseas properties such as Hanoi Daewoo Hotel in Vietnam and Mandarin Orchard Singapore.

In 2012 she returned to Japan and was employed at Royal Park Shiodome Tower as front receptionist, where she worked her way up to vice general manager accommodation in 2016.

From Abandoned To Hotspots – Repurposed Venues In Korea

By TTG

July 3, 2019

Brought to you by Korea Tourism Organisation

In recent years, MICE events around the world have been leaning towards the usage of distinct places where people can feel the natural and cultural appeal of a city itself rather than a place that merely acts as a venue for meetings and social events.

Here are some of the adaptive reused buildings in Korea that have been given new life as dining cum social spaces.

Busan

F1963 (www.f1963.org)

F1963 is a repurposed cultural complex from an old wire factory. One of the eye-catching tenants is Terarosa Coffee where many locals gather to enjoy their cuppa with closed friends. Patrons can also chill out at the Praha993, a Czech brewery and pub within the complex. Their Sukcheon Hall is a great option for small scale events and exhibitions and the Courtyard is also available for venue hiring too.

Beyond Garage (www.beyondgarage.com)

Beyond Garage is the first cultural space complex in Busan. There was no historical record of the building, it was believed built in the 60s or 70s meant for rice storage and was later modified to store manufactured paper products.

Many locals have used the venue for public and private events such as flea markets, concerts, and weddings. Some brands such as FILA and Adidas have used the space for their branding events.

Munhwa Gonggam Sujeong

Nestled in a residential district near Busanjin Station, Munhwa Gonggam Sujeong’ or literally Culture Space Sujeong was originally built in 1943, as the home of colonial Japanese railroad administrators. The two-storey wooden building is considered one of the city’s best-preserved pieces of architecture from the period.

With its wooden aisles, tatami-covered floors and recessed alcoves, it is characteristic of shoin-zukuri, a style of Japanese residential architecture derived from the homes of warriors and Buddhist monks. The property also boasts some lovely Japanese-style gardens, and is maintained by preservationist group National Trust for Cultural Heritage No.330 in 2007.

Visitors one can enjoy a selection of traditional Korean teas, including favourites such as nokcha (green tea), daechucha (jujube tea) and maesilcha (plum tea).

Choryang 845 (www.instagram.com/choryang845)

Choryang 845 is one of the instagram-worthy hotspots in Korea. An old factory turned restaurant cum café serves Korean cuisine with fresh seasonal ingredients procured daily at local markets in Busan. As the restaurant is located uphill, patrons can enjoy the magnificent view of the city while dining in.

Brown Hands Café (www.brownhands.co.kr)

Brown Hand Café is another Instagram hotspot in Busan. Built in 1922, this red building was an originally the site of Baekje Hospital, the city’s first modern medical centre. Through the years, the building was occupied as a Chinese restaurant, military barracks, police station and even as a consulate for the Republic of China.

The famous furniture manufacturer, Brown Hands took over the building in 2015 and converted the building into a “design café”. Patrons can enjoy their downtime whilst admiring some of their furniture accessories installed within.

Gemstone Café (www.instagram.com/gemstone_official_1)

Gemstone is one of the popular cafés in the Busan neighbourhood. It was an abandoned swimming complex. Every corner is retrofitted into different sections; patrons can enjoy their day in the “pool” or have small discussions within their locker rooms. The café has hosted many social events such as fan meetings, public talks, fashion shows and concerts since its opening. The venue is opened for private event up to 200 pax.

Incheon

Joyang Bangjik

Joyang Bangjik (liternally translated as Joyang Textile Factory Cafe) is one of the hotspots for weekend hangout in Korea now. Originally a textile factory that produced artificial fabrics in 1930s, the factory is now a repurposed cafe cum art gallery. The museum-like art pieces and antiques are spotted within this cool cafe complex. There is also a small experience room next to the complex that showcases some of the sewing tools and machines used in the 1800s. Ganghwa Island is about an hour drive away from Seoul downtown or from Incheon International Airport. The easiest way to travel to the Joyang Bangjik will be by taxi or car.

Café Valor (cafevalor.modoo.at)

Occupying the original steel factory in Bupyeong District of Incheon, the owner started out by selling vintage furniture and subsequently added the café. The café is decorated with rare furniture and interior props imported from the world, thus accentuating the unique characteristics of space. It is also a popular venue for music video and fashion shoots. The café is also available for private hire for up to 80 pax.

Seoul

Baesan Archive Co., Ltd

Opened in November 2017, Baesan Archive is a repurposed café cum event space in the Seongsu-dong district, known for their shoemaking businesses in Seoul. It was originally built as rice mill in the 1970s and the turned into a warehouse in the 1990s. Decorated with edgy art installations, the café has warranted many votes for brand product launches or exhibitions. One of its latest events was the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Launch Party. Baesan Arichive offers 990sqm of event space, over 9 meters height of ceiling on the first floor, the rooftop on the second floor, an ideal venue for small to mid-size events up to 400 persons.

Oil Tank Cultural Park (culturetank.blog.me)

Located near the Seoul World Cup Stadium, the Oil Tank Culture Park was an oil storage site for over 40 years. The five existing tanks were reborn as spaces for performances, exhibits and the like. A newly constructed tank became a community center, while the wide outdoor space that had been the temporary parking lot became a courtyard to host cultural events.

Gyeonggi Province

Gwangmyeong Cave (www.gm.go.kr/cv/en/index.do)

Gwangmyeong Cave is a tourist attraction converted from the Siheung Mine that that produced gold, silver, bronze, zinc and other minerals in 1910s. It was served as a shelter for the locals during the Korean War. It was later used as a storage place for salted shrimps from the Sorae Port in the late 70s till 2010.

The Gwangmyeong City transformed the abandoned cave into a tourist attraction in 2011. It has hosted multiple events including movie screenings, concerts, fashion shows and exhibitions. Besides the in-cave attractions and activities, the Wine Cave offers wine tasting sessions on every Saturday and Sunday, between 12pm and 4pm. The attached cave restaurant Maru de Cave, offers western menus for diners and it is opened to private function hiring for up to 70 pax.

For more information, visit kto.visitkorea.or.kr/eng.kto

Ainu-centric tourism takes off in Japan as indigenous people gain legal recognition

By Kathryn Wortley

July 2, 2019

The travel trade in Hokkaido is ramping up efforts to develop Ainu-focused tourism, following the enactment of a Japanese law in April that recognises the Ainu as indigenous people.

National and local governments are now required to promote activities such as tourism to correct social-economic disparities of the Ainu, who have lived for centuries on Japan’s northernmost main island.

Kamuy Lumina is an outdoor multimedia night experience inspired by an Ainu legend

Among those developing new facilities and entertainment offerings is Akan Adventure Tourism. On July 5, it will open Kamuy Lumina, an outdoor multimedia night experience inspired by an Ainu legend, in Akan, an area home to Hokkaido’s largest Ainu settlement. Created by Canada-based multimedia entertainment company, Moment Factory, the show will use technology to transform woodland by displaying nature and Ainu culture in light and sound.

According to Lumina producer Jamie Tobin, Kamuy Lumina is “the first Lumina walk to be produced with any first national people anywhere in the world and the first in a national park”.

“We’re striving to make the Akan area a mecca for adventure and spiritual tourism, working with Ainu people so tourists can come and have a deep connection with the Ainu people,” Shinichi Yamashita, senior executive director of Akan Adventure Tourism, told TTG Asia.

Lake Akan’s 300-seat theatre Ikor, meanwhile, has launched a series of new performances to give audiences a window on Ainu culture, including Lost Kamuy, Ainu Ancient Ceremonial Dance and Iomante Fire Festival.

The Japanese government has recognised the Ainu people of Hokkaido as an indigenous people

Among those interested in the new attractions are school, college and business groups attracted by “the Ainu philosophy of living in harmony with nature and lessons about preserving culture and the environment,” Yamashita added.

The products are expected to boost rising interest in eastern Hokkaido among international visitors as a result of national government initiatives. Akan Mashu National Park is one of only eight national parks selected for promotion to overseas tourists and Kushiro, in Akan, is one of only three model cities chosen to entice overseas tourists to off-the-beaten track areas.

Further development in Hokkaido is also slated, including the opening of a national Ainu museum and park in Shiraoi, near Sapporo, in April 2020.

Te Pae Christchurch begins courtship of international associations

By TTGmice

July 2, 2019

Te-Pae-exterior-Victoria-Square — Te Pae Christchurch is gearing up for its opening in October 2020

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has appointed Germany-headquartered international representation company, Worldwide Convention Specialists (WCS), to support its lead generation activities in Europe in the lead up to its opening in October 2020.

Having recently returned from IMEX Frankfurt, Te Pae Christchurch’s general manager, Ross Steele, is buoyed by the future potential for the city.

Te Pae Christchurch is gearing up for its opening in October 2020

“Our research shows more than 53 per cent of international associations are headquartered in Europe, which is why this region is a significant target market for Te Pae Christchurch.

“Winning a convention is like bidding for the Olympics, with a planning cycle that can be between two to 12 years in advance. So, we need to be in front of every potential client to showcase Christchurch as a future host city contender,” Steele said in a statement.

When it opens next year, Te Pae will have capacity for up to 2,000 delegates for a variety of events. It will feature facilities including a 1,400-seat auditorium, over 3,000m2 of exhibition space and 24 meeting rooms.

AEG Ogden, the venue management company behind Te Pae Christchurch, has had a long association with WCS’ director, Anette Palm.

“Our history shows that associations primarily book events with destinations or venues with whom they have built a mutually beneficial business relationship and when AEG Ogden is involved it gives the client extra confidence during the selection process,” Palm shared.

“With Te Pae Christchurch opening next year, it is an exciting proposition to share with our long-term client base – many of whom organise more than two or three events worldwide, and most importantly, seek venues within the Asia-Pacific region.”

WCS supports convention centres and convention bureaux throughout the world, including Kuala Lumpur, Toronto, Cape Town, Stockholm, Basel and Brussels.

“In collaboration with the country’s academic community leaders, Tourism New Zealand and ChristchurchNZ, we will be working towards raising this position in the years ahead with Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre being a lead catalyst for this growth,” Steele concluded.

New corporate booking solution simplifies hotel ancillaries for travel managers

By Pamela Chow

July 2, 2019

Traci_Mercer_Sabre — Mercer: New solution will help travel agents better their services for their customers

Last Thursday, Sabre Corporation released Sabre Content Services for Lodging, a solution that will power both agency and corporate booking tools, and promises to eliminate the need for intensive manual research.

This came about because a significant amount of travel buyers’ time is “wasted” on manual comparison and booking of properties within company policy, said Kathy Morgan, vice president – NDC, Sabre.

Mercer: New solution will help travel agents better their services for their customers

The new solution simplifies the search process for agents by listing out not just comparable properties and room rates, but also all included ancillaries – such as breakfast and Wi-Fi – as well as room type, loyalty programme availability and whether each property fits the specified company policy.

It allows for a more user-friendly interface that lays out all of these parameters and ancillaries on a single screen, almost similar to consumer-facing booking platforms. This was achieved through integrating traditional GDS content from hoteliers, alongside OTA content from Booking.com, Bedsonline, and Expedia Partner Solutions.

The system currently features more than one million property options, and travel agencies have full flexibility to choose the aggregator content they would like to access. Moreover, in a usability study, Sabre found that such product normalisation can help agents reach a booking decision 30 per cent faster.

“We looked at the pain points and needs of customers on both sides of the network – the ‘demand’ side including TMCs, leisure agencies and corporations and the ‘supply’ side including hoteliers and lodging aggregators,” said Traci Mercer, senior vice president of lodging, ground and sea for Sabre Travel Network.

“The solution that we’ve developed to this long-standing and complex challenge will revolutionise the way travel agents shop for and book hotel content, making it easier and simpler for them to provide the best experience for their travellers.”

The new application programming interface (API) capabilities powering Sabre Content Services for Lodging will soon be incorporated across all Sabre solutions, including Sabre Red 360 and GetThere. Additional API enhancements will be added to Content Services for Lodging in 2020.

Arinex devotes time, finances to children’s charity

By TTGmice

July 2, 2019

Australian event and conference management company Arinex has signed a 12-month partnership with children’s charity Starlight, which will see the former providing pro bono event management services and financial support through company-wide fundraising initiatives.

This announcement comes after Arinex presented a cheque for A$6,340 (US$4,439) to Starlight in May, which was raised following its 2018 Christmas party raffle. The raffle consisted of prizes donated by Arinex’ venue and supplier partners – such as a Qantas return airfare to Cairns and a stay at Pullman Cairns International – which were auctioned to staff across the country.

Arinex raised money for the charity during their Christmas party last year

The new corporate partnership with Starlight aligns with Arinex’s existing community and volunteer work; last year staff dedicated 1,100 hours managing the Rotary International Peace Conference and the Rotary New South Wales Police Officer of the Year Awards (an event it has managed since its inauguration in 2010).

Nicole Walker, Arinex’s chief operating officer, said: “It is exciting to formalise our partnership with Starlight Children’s Foundation, which is a charity dear to our hearts.

“Events have the wonderful potential to leave a positive impact not just on those attending but also the wider community and we look forward to demonstrating that with our planned volunteer work and fundraising. We feel glad knowing our support will go directly towards fulfilling Starlight’s mission – this new partnership gives us even more purpose in our day to day working lives.”

Element debuts in Australia with Melbourne opening

By TTGmice

July 2, 2019

Element by Westin, part of Marriott International, has opened the Element Melbourne Richmond, marking the debut of the brand in Australia.

Element Melbourne Richmond is situated in the new Botanicca Corporate Park on the banks of the Yarra River, six kilometres from Melbourne’s city centre.

Element Melbourne Richmond

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Each of the 163 guestrooms and five deluxe balcony king rooms feature spa-inspired bathrooms, the signature Heavenly® Bed, and high-speed Wi-Fi. A select number of rooms also feature kitchenettes, ideal for longer-stay guests.

Facilities on-site include an all-day dining space, 24/7 Restore grab-and-go pantry, and a fitness centre. The property also offers a complimentary Bikes-to-Borrow programme where guests may borrow bicycles. Guests may also partake in the brand’s evening Relax reception four days a week, which offers complimentary local beers and wines and small bites.

In addition, the hotel boasts four modern meeting spaces, spanning a total of 256m2. Located on level five, rooms can be configured to welcome between 12 and 250 guests, all featuring the latest technology and an abundance of natural light. An outdoor deck space is also available, and provides views of Melbourne’s skyline and CBD

Photo of the day: 6,000 winners descend on Cairns

By TTGmice

July 2, 2019

Cairns has wrapped up a five-day leadership seminar programme with over 6,000 Amway China Business Owners visiting the region for the first time.

In waves of over 900 guests at a time, top performing sellers experienced Australia’s Cairns and Great Barrier regions through various experiences including a scenic ride on the Skyrail Cableway over a 150 million-year-old rainforest, and a full-day tour on The Great Barrier Reef.

Fudoguchikan

By Rachel AJ Lee

July 2, 2019

Rooms
Fudoguchikan features 10 rooms, eight of which are traditional tatami mat rooms, while the rest are rotenburo rooms – rooms with a private outdoor hot spring pool attached.

All rooms are equipped with futons (traditional Japanese bedding), while the two rotenburo rooms have the option of twin beds upon request at point of booking. It was an interesting experience to sleep on a futon, but I felt it was too thin for me. I rectified the problem but placing another futon under mine, and I slept much more comfortably.

Fudoguchikan

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As most Japanese hotels still allow smoking in rooms, I was pleasantly surprised that Fudoguchikan has banned this practice.

Note that there are no showering facilities in all rooms – only toilets – as guests are expected to shower communally. As I felt uncomfortable bathing in the buff, the hotel kindly arranged for a one-hour block for me in a private bathroom. There, I could shower without worries, and had the chance to climb into and soak in a private onsen as well. The relaxing experience came complete with the gentle trickling sounds of the mountain stream just beside the property.

Prices per night start from 13,000 yen (US$120), and is inclusive of two meals. For every night’s stay, guests will be provided with two meals – a traditional Japanese breakfast, and a Kaiseki dinner.

MICE facilities
There are no meeting facilities, but their meal rooms – used for breakfasts and dinners – are able to hold small group meetings. While individual guests are served meals in their rooms, groups are served in banquet rooms. Western-style banquet seating arrangement with tables are also available upon request.

Other facilities
Wi-Fi service was supposedly available, but I was unable to connect with my laptop and iPhone while in my room. It was a good excuse for me to relax the evening away.

There are four public onsens, one open-air and one indoor each for males and females. The open-air baths face a swathe of greenery, and are a pleasant perch to watch the world go by during the day.

Service
The Japanese service culture as we all know, is beyond exceptional. For dinner, we were personally waited on by the general manager, who is the son of Fudoguchikan’s owner.

English is not fluently spoken in the country, but every staff member I encountered was accommodating and tried their very best to understand my charades and mangling of the Japanese language with the help of Google translate.

Verdict
This hot spring inn in the countryside is a perfect way to incentivise your staff. I recommend that one night be spent here at the tail-end of a incentive trip to Osaka Prefecture, as it is located nearer to the Kansai International Airport than Osaka city.

Number of rooms 10
Contact
Email info@fudouguchikan.com
Website http://www.fudouguchikan.com/en/