Asia/Singapore Friday, 17th April 2026
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New initiatives at CTW APAC 2019 to deepen buyer, seller engagement

By TTGmice
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The 22nd instalment of CTW APAC at Bangkok next week will feature greater opportunities for buyer and seller connections, which has been instrumental in securing new buyers from high profile companies such as Citigroup Inc. and Ferrari.

One of the new features at the two-day conference is an interactive ice-breaker, Say Hi to Everyone, helmed by MICE strategist and hospitality consultant David Barrett. It allows delegates to identify profiles and network ahead of the show days.

Reformatted CTW APAC 2019 features new attendee engagement platforms alongside educational sessions

Another new element of CTW APAC is Meet-The-Corporates, delivered in a speed-dating format over two single-hour sessions across two days. Through this, CTW corporate travel/procurement professionals can meet IT&CM Asia exhibitors from Dubai, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and more.

For delegates hoping to learn how Thailand can support corporate travellers, the Corporate Exchange, Exclusively Thailand is the perfect platform. Held in partnership with Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, the session will feature up to 48 Thai suppliers in a close-knit yet engaging arrangement.

In a press statement released by TTG Asia Media, organiser of the event, these new initiatives have not only secured attendance of long-time corporate buyers of the show but also attracted new ones from major global companies such as Citigroup Inc., Ferrari, Huawei, IBM, and LVMH Asia Pacific.

While the business components are held in the mornings, the afternoons are reserved for educational conferences and networkings.

Delegates can look forward to an impressive speaker line-up from esteemed organisations such as Accenture, Amway, Ariston Thermo China, ATNS, Cvent, CWT, HerbalLife, JTB, Kseven Industries, Luxoft, Michelin Hungary, MovieInSync, NTT Global Sourcing, Nxp India Technology Solutions, Osram and Park Hotel Group.

They will have access to s comprehensive educational agenda that covers topics ranging from the industry updates and outlooks, cybersecurity risks, effective supplier relationships in travel procurement, strategic management meetings, travel policy disruption – managing compliance to traveller satisfaction, and duty of care – blurring the lines in bleisure travel.

Topics are endorsed by a hand-picked CTW APAC Advisory Panel comprising of industry practitioners such as Geremi Ton, Travel Lead of Accenture; Jeannie Techasiriwan, Special Events Assistant Director of Amway; Pulak Bhaumik, Head Global PMO of NTT Global Sourcing; Maciej Olbert, Corporate Travel Manager of Luxoft; and more.

The Okura Tokyo welcomes guests again

By TTGmice
0

The new flagship hotel of Hotel Okura, The Okura Tokyo, has opened its doors after four years of rebuilding works; the original Hotel Okura Tokyo opened in 1962 and closed on August 2015.

A total of 508 luxury rooms are available in two buildings on the property. The smaller of the two buildings, the 17-storey Okura Heritage Wing, boasts its own reception, and views of gardens and greenery on three sides. Guestrooms here start at 60m2, and the building is also home to the Yamazato Japanese restaurant and Chosho-an tea ceremony room.

Beautiful guestrooms are offered in the Okura Heritage Wing

Meanwhile, guestrooms within the 41-storey Okura Prestige Tower begin on the 28th floor. Starting from 50m2 in size, rooms afford vistas of the Tokyo metropolis.

On the top floor of The Okura Prestige Tower, guests have views of the city while dining at Sazanka, the hotel’s reborn teppanyaki restaurant. Additionally, there is also an all-day dining restaurant, Orchid, and Chinese restaurant Toh-Ka-Lin, while on the 26th and 27th floors sits the Okura Fitness & Spa.

The Okura Prestige Tower is equipped with eight event spaces, including The Heian Room, one of the largest ballrooms in Tokyo which can accommodate up to 2,000 people. The top two guest floors of The Okura Prestige Tower – the 39th and 40th floors – comprise a 730m2 duplex suite with three bedrooms, which can also be booked out by planners.

Lastly, The Okura Museum of Art, originally established in 1917 as Japan’s first privately operated art museum, is also located on the hotel grounds. It offers some 2,500 works of art, among which are three National Treasures, 13 Important Cultural Properties and 44 Important Art Objects designated by the Japanese government.

Helen Chiou takes up country director China post

By TTGmice
0

BCD Meetings & Events (BCD M&E) has appointed Helen Chiou as its leader for China.

Based in Shanghai, Chiou will serve as China’s country director and is responsible for continuing to provide best-in-class service to customers, grow the BCD M&E brand and expand its product offering.

She joins BCD M&E with extensive industry experience – mostly recently General Manager at both Uniplan and Pico. At Pico, Chiou was first based in Shanghai then tasked to lead Pico’s Kazakhstan operations for two years. She then joined Uniplan in Guangzhou before relocating back to Shanghai.

Lovell takes mantle as GM of Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast

By TTGmice
0

Hard Rock International has appointed Clinton Lovell as the general manager for its newest hotel in Malaysia – Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast.

With more than 20 years of hospitality industry experience, Lovell is responsible for the operations of the 365-room property, where he will develop and execute strategies to drive continued growth for the hotel and enhance operational efficiency.

Prior to joining Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, Lovell most recently served as general manager at Avani Atrium Hotel Bangkok and previously Anantara Seminyak Bali Resort. Prior to that, he has almost a decade of general manager experience with Accor’s upscale hotels in Thailand under his belt.

Incentives moving on with cautious steps

By Karen Yue
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Business event planners in Asia are observing an air of caution surrounding clients’ event plans as concerns mount over an impending global recession, with even shorter lead times, a preference for cheaper destinations and more free-and-easy elements a common occurrence now.

While CWT Meetings and Events, which started 2019 on a strong footing, has yet to see “any significant dip in the volume of meetings, events and incentives so far”, its Singapore director, Petrina Goh, told TTGmice that “companies have become more cautious with their (events) spend”.

According to Goh, notable changes to their buying behaviour include offering more free-and-easy time – which relieves the burden of cost – into their incentive programmes, especially when reward trips are bound for pricey longhaul destinations such as Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean.

As well, the trend of short lead time that has plagued the industry for years now, has worsened, observed Goh. As companies struggle to have their budgets confirmed, clients are now giving notice only two months or a few weeks ahead of the event.

Clients on a tighter budget are also favouring nearby destinations. CWT Meetings and Events has recorded “a steady increase” in programmes to Thailand and Vietnam, while Dynasty Travel Singapore’s MICE division is seeing South-east Asian destinations gaining in popularity.

Dynasty Travel Singapore’s spokesperson Alicia Seah revealed that budgets for incentive events going forward are down from an average of S$1,000 (US$734) to S$2,000 per person, to S$800 to $1,500.

Daniel Chua, founder and chief executive of Singapore-based conference management agency, Aonia, predicts that “internal and external” business events will shrink in the coming months, and he blames “perception” for it.

He explained that when a client reads about an impending global economic downturn and sees his business partners or peers cutting back on expenditure, he will likely mirror the austerity measures even though his business is still thriving.

While buying behaviours for business events will change in tough times, events specialists agree that incentive trips are unlikely to be frozen even during a recession.

“Incentive trips are compulsory for sales-driven operations,” stated Chua, but added that budgets for internal incentive trips such as staff teambuilding programmes – as opposed to external ones that motivate and reward sales partners – would be manipulated more in a challenging business environment.

While agreeing that there is a firm need for incentive trips, companies today are also adopting non-travel rewards, such as gift cards, merchandise and points programmes.
Meanwhile, G2 Travel – which marked May with a massive 12,500-pax incentive event in Switzerland and Liechtenstein for Jeunesse Global’s Chinese top achievers – is maintaining a rosy outlook for its business events segment, with Al Mulenga, director of the Hong Kong office, predicting “comparable” business in 2020 to this year’s.

Mulenga said corporate business has not changed since the start of this year, and the company is still seeing emerging interest from Vietnam and Malaysia. Corporate clients in Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan are still set on longhaul incentive destinations, specifically the UK, Scandinavia, Italy and also Eastern Europe. Budgets for new events are also being maintained.

Michael Gaehler joins Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali as GM

By TTGmice
0

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has appointed Michael Gaehler as the general manager of Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali.

A seasoned professional, Gaehler brings more than 33 years of experience within the high-end hospitality sector, and was most recently the general manager of the Oriental Residences Bangkok. He previously also worked at Regent Hotels & Resorts, managing the group’s hotels and resorts in Montenegro, Taiwan, China and Indonesia.

Gaehler began his hotel career as a chef in his hometown of Zurich, transitioning to broader F&B roles at some of Europe’s leading boutique hotels such as Villa il Tessoro in Tuscany, Hotel Le Vieux Manoir in Murten and Hotel Giardino in Ascona. He then moved to Asia and the Jia Causeway Bay in Hong Kong and The Chedi Chiang Mai, later assisting with the launch of Ananti Kumgang Mountain in North Korea, the country’s first five-star resort.

GBA developments get Guangzhou MICE players upbeat about 2020 business

By Prudence Lui
0
Guangzhou

Business event players in Guangzhou – part of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) – are spirited about 2020 prospects as Terminal 2 of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport opens, making the lucrative Chinese city even more accessible to international investors and businesses.

Recent accessibility improvements for Guangzhou include the High Speed Rail Hongkong-Guangzhou South section which opened in 2018 and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

Guangzhou has been reaping the benefits since the formation of the GBA

Hongkong-based Pacific World Meetings & Events Hong Kong, which has seen stronger client interest in GBA, is now looking to intensify its presence in Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Business development manager, Dwirt J Ang, said: “The increased visibility of the region (GBA) has brought about more opportunities.”

The soon-to-open Rosewood Guangzhou will be positioned for business travellers, especially those arriving for conventions and incentive tours.

A hotel spokesperson said: “The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will inject new energy into Guangdong’s economy. City investments will continue to be positive due to government backing, infrastructural support and regional economic development. Guangzhou will provide more future opportunities for sectors including financial services, capital markets and technology. The convenient access to major transport hubs – for example, the airport and high-speed train station are just 45 minutes away – will bring more transient (business travellers) and meeting, conference, exhibition and trade events.

“The visa exemption policy for foreign travellers will also encourage greater participation in trade fairs.”

Rosewood Guangzhou is expected to stand out for event planners as it is “the only hotel in the city with elevated outdoor spaces as well as terraces offered as unique event venues”, said the spokesperson.

Agreeing that GBA’s attractive business environment is a bigger draw than the ease of access, Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou’s director of sales and marketing, Anthony Yeung, has also expressed strong business confidence for 2020.

Yeung expects to see more business chamber events and corporate meetings booking into his hotel in the coming year.

To attract clients, Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou will be launching at the end of this year meeting packages with a wellness theme.

“It’s trendy, and we can combine fitness, wellness cuisine and spa with customised services to generate more business,” he added.

Chimelong Group, which operates theme parks and attractions in Guangzhou’s Panyu and Zhuhai’s Henqin, is expecting a double-digit percentage growth in its MICE business for 4Q2019 over 4Q2018.

The company launched its first self-directed official drama show this summer while its second aquarium, Marine Science Park and Marine Science Hotel at Ocean Kingdom, is slated to open between 4Q2019 and 1Q2020.

South Jeolla Province aspires to be a retreat-style MICE destination

By TTGmice
0

South Korea’s South Jeolla Province (Jeollanam-do) has identified five locations that best reflect the destination’s natural resources and wellness attractions as part of plans to transform into a retreat-style destination for small- and medium-sized business events.

A regional MICE brand has been conceptualised around the theme, Creating Business through Rest, Relaxation and Recharging of Mind.

The selected locations are Mokpo International Football Center, Gwangyang Baegunsan Recreational Forest, Gokseong Gangbit Village & Shim Cheong Hanok Village, Boseong Jeamsan Recreational Forest, and Glory International Retreat Center.

The province also plans to expand its events infrastructure, and develop and operate new experiences for corporate groups.

Kim Myung-Sin, director of tourism of Jeollanam-do, noted that growing interest in small- and medium-sized cities as well as the rise in bleisure travel purposes are bringing opportunities for Jeolla Province to establish herself in the business events industry.

“We will establish Jeollanam-do as a representative MICE tourism city by nurturing our province’s unique offerings,” remarked Kim.

Located in the south-west corner of the Korean peninsula, South Jeolla Province is rich in natural landscapes including mountains, coastal areas, and islands. Not frequented often by tourists, the province boasts an off-the-beaten track charm and a slower pace from the cities, with several cities in the province recognised as slow cities. The city of Gwangju, located within the province, is home to one of Korea’s main convention centres, Kimdaejung Convention Center.

Partnership, unique experiences part of RuMa’s MICE action plan

By S Puvaneswary
0
Janny Yeow, Director of Sales and Marketing, The RuMa Hotel and Residences

The new RuMa Hotel and Residences in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is leveraging its membership with Leading Hotels of The World to gain greater visibility in the global MICE space and developing destination-specific experiences for corporate groups – both part of its strategy to attract more corporate meetings and incentives.

Director of sales and marketing, Janny Yeow, explained that the hotel collaborates with Leading Hotels of The World offices worldwide to participate in various business events campaigns, tradeshows and sales missions.

Yeow: solid plans in motion to generate MICE business

Other efforts include leveraging on the hotel’s strategic location (just across from the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre); working with targeted PCOs; organising fam trips; extending its digital reach by investing in platforms such as Cvent; and investing in video advertising.

The 253-key property has placed regional markets such as Singapore, China, India and Hong Kong in its sights.

“Singapore is one of our key markets, as Kuala Lumpur is considered an affordable destination for many multinational corporations based there. We also work with Leading Hotels of the World to target potential luxury groups from India,” Yeow added.

To impress its corporate event clientele, the hotel creates activities that are unique to Kuala Lumpur, such as private local market excursions, cocktail-making sessions, and cooking workshops featuring Malaysian ingredients and dishes.

“Later this year, we will be introducing fully customisable offerings, with value adds that are personalised to the needs of each meeting planner,” revealed Yeow.

CWT M&E projects growth in 2020 despite challenging headwinds

By TTGmice
0

CWT Meetings & Events (CWT M&E), the global meetings and events division of CWT, revealed in its 2020 Future Trends Report that the US$840 billion meetings industry is poised for an 8% growth in 2020 despite looming geopolitical and economic headwinds.

The report notes the protracted trade war between the US and China is creating general uncertainty in the global business community heading into 2020. Adding to the anxiety is the future of Brexit and its cascading impact on the European Union.

Despite a wobbling global economy, CWT M&E predicts that the sector will still show a single-digit growth

Over in Asia, the protests in Hong Kong that started in June have put businesses on alert, as continued unrest in the city is bound to impact demand across the region. Growing concern over the impact of climate change is also increasingly clouding business sentiment.

Despite these issues, there are reasons to be upbeat, said Kurt Ekert, president and CEO at CWT.

“The need for live events is becoming more relevant than ever before,” Ekert said, with up to 30% of marketing budgets expected to be spent on live events in 2020. “Face-to-face meetings are critical to establishing connections between brands and their customers, and employees and their companies, especially during times of uncertainty. Knowing how to manage risks globally while putting together an authentic and measurable experience for all participants will be key for success in this space in the coming year and beyond.”

Digitalisation
The Future Trends Report identifies key developments in the industry in 2020, including digitalisation, with event websites being created at a rapid pace – up 52% year-over-year – as more customers utilise these sites to drive increased engagement.

Mobile devices are also adding new functionality with apps that go beyond setting travel itineraries to allowing organisers to create a higher degree of personalisation for attendees. CWT M&E estimates the number of event apps created since 2017 has jumped 83%, while the percentage of attendees downloading apps rose from 50% in 2017 to 74% year-to-date in 2019.

Demographics
This emphasis on digitalisation is being driven by the changing demographics as millennials are poised to become the biggest group of business travellers globally from 2024 onwards. Right on their heels are the so-called centennials (born 1996 onwards), the first group that can claim to be digital natives as they have never known a world without the Internet, smartphones and apps.

“This younger group of travellers is all about experience, authenticity and participation,” said Derek Sharp, senior vice president and managing director, CWT M&E. “Not content to merely ‘attend’ events, millennials and centennials use technology to actively ‘participate’ in the experience – pre-event, during the event, and post-event. Organisers are responding with innovations that put a premium on the ability to personalise experiences, coupled with ways of measuring the resulting engagement.”

Authenticity
When it comes to experiential events, including incentive travels, the report shows a move towards experiences that feel authentic, where travellers can immerse themselves in a destination like locals and not as high-end tourists. Hand-in-hand with this trend is the growing attraction of off-the-beaten-track destinations versus the usual tier-one cities.

This has raised some safety and security issues with 42% of travellers subjected to pre-travel risk assessments as part of the travel approval process, a 5% increase year-over-year.

Socially and environmentally responsible incentives also rank high for 2020, fuelled by this next generation of participants who view climate change as an increasingly pressing issue, according to CWT M&E’s findings. These sustainable initiatives include replanting trees and other efforts to care for the environment – and leave a lasting legacy long after an event concludes.

Global programmes
As global meetings and events programmes become more centralised, new technologies in the form of artificial intelligence and bots are transforming how these programmes are managed across multiple regions and markets.

Organisations are taking advantage of these innovative tools to derive more visibility and real-time data and feedback. As technology shrinks timelines and response times, the result is a streamlined process that ultimately leads to better adoption and a changing mindset around meetings.

The complete report can be found here.

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