New sales director for The St Regis Bangkok

May 21, 2019

The St Regis Bangkok has welcomed a new director of sales, Prachaya Basset.

In her new role, she will work closely with both revenue and marketing teams to develop strategic customer segments and maintain overall positioning of the hotel.

Basset brings with her more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality sector, joining from her most recent stint at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok.

No stranger to the hotel, she was previously with The St. Regis Bangkok as account director from 2012-2013. She has also worked with a number of other luxury brands such as Conrad and InterContinental in Bangkok.

Thailand joins hands with four foreign chambers of commerce

By Suchat Sritama

May 21, 2019

Thailand recently signed an MoU with the FCA (Foreign Chamber Alliance; representing Australia, Germany, US and UK) to push the development of the country’s MICE business in longhaul markets.

Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, president of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), shared: “(The) FCA has more than 20,000 members that include businessmen, investors, entrepreneurs from business, industrial and service sectors, such as Minor Hotels Group, AccorHotels Group, Marriott Hotels Group, convention centres business, as well as oil, mining, pharmaceutical, automobile and other industries.”

TCEB’s president Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya (centre) alongside the four FCAs

Calling these “high potential business groups”, Chiruit believes that they will help propel the national economy as they have already been included among the S-curve targeted industries that the Thai government is eyeing, in line with its 4.0 policy.

This is the very first time that the Foreign Chamber Alliance has signed an MoU with a Thai government agency.

With this MoU, the framework for the development of the business events sector will comprise five areas of operation, including exchanges of statistics and MICE events, MICE business development, MICE market promotion, MICE business research, and MICE personnel development.

TCEB’s next step is to discuss with FCA on the preparation of Phase I work plan, which will last two years.

From January 2019 to March 2019, Thailand’s business events sector has been ranked by ICCA at number four globally for international conventions in Asia – after Japan, China and South Korea – with 193 events.

According to The Bangkok Post, Thailand welcomed more than eight million corporate business travellers in the second quarter of fiscal 2019, an increase of 2.9 per cent year-on-year. International MICE travellers during the period which ended in March stood at 353, 256, up 11 per cent.

Malaysia chalks up wins for two 2020 conferences

By TTGmice

May 21, 2019

Two congresses will be heading to Kuala Lumpur next year in 2020, the 46^th ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress (WTC) and the International Congress on Infectious Diseases (ICID).

Taking place between May 15-21, 2020, the WTC event will bring together more than 1,500 engineers, designers, and construction professionals to Malaysia, and generate an economic impact of approximately RM 21 million (US$5 million). It will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre).

The capital city has a successful track record in attracting and hosting large-scale congresses

The theme of the seven-day event will focus on multiple technical paper presentations, tunnelling training courses, poster presentations, the ITA-AITES General Assembly, technical visits to ongoing tunnelling projects in Malaysia, and interesting exhibitions by companies from all over the world presenting their latest tunnelling solutions, innovations and technologies.

Another conference to be held at the Centre in 2020 is the ICID international congress. Over 3,000 medical professionals from 102 countries are expected to attend ICID 2020, and the event is expected to deliver a RM14.5 million economic boost to the country.

Both congresses are supported by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB).

DMZ Spy Tour launches new programmes for corporates

By Karen Yue

May 21, 2019

DMZ-Spy-Tours — DMZ Spy Tours has rolled out two new experiences for corporate groups

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.

This tour aims to educate travellers, so that they would spread the word back home that there is peace in the Korean Peninsula.

DMZ Spy Tours has rolled out two new experiences for corporate groups

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 on the back of news reports on North Korea’s nuclear weaponry, foreigners were hesitant to visit the South as they thought there was unrest in the Korean Peninsula.

“So I approached the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and the South Korea 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.

Orchard Hotel revamp promises enhanced event solutions

By TTGmice

May 21, 2019

Local landmark Orchard Hotel has completed its multimillion-dollar renovation, spanning 260 guestrooms, the lobby, two dining establishments, and 11 conference and function spaces.

The enhancement project, which was officially unveiled last Thursday, refreshes the 40 year-old property and touts a “360 degree guest experience”.

Orchard Hotel’s Grand Ballroom gala dinner setup

On the business events front, Orchard Hotel now boasts one of Singapore’s largest pillar-free grand ballrooms at more than 900m² and comes equipped with two floor-to-ceiling LED walls – a first in Singapore. The conference centre has also been redesigned with five intimate meeting rooms and upgraded facilities.

Additionally, event planners now have the luxury of choice with numerous catering options from the hotel’s four restaurants – Hua Ting Restaurant, The Orchard Cafe, Mon Bijou and Bar Intermezzo – as well as a Halal-certified kitchen.

Other upgrades include autonomous room service and chef associate robots; polished new dining spaces; a new contemporary clock tower; and 260 sleekly refurbished guestrooms each equipped with a Handy smartphone and six USB ports.

Jean-Philippe Jacopin, general manager of Orchard Hotel, said that the hotel’s large pillarless ballroom allows the flexibility for clients to build large structures or configure spaces to suit their conference needs.

The hotel refresh comes at a timely juncture as Orchard Road gears up for a major transformation and customer demands are changing, remarked Jacopin.

He explained: “We are facing great competition around us as there are many beautiful hotels here. We’re working very hard with the Singapore Tourism Board to revamp and enhance the old charm of this area.”

One way in which the revitalised hotel will pull its share of guests is through revamping the guest experience, using tools such as data and staff training to elevate customer satisfaction.

“Today, the hotel is more vibrant and elegant. The service of today is completely different from that of before. People now have no time, we have to be fast, and there’s no margin for error. Each customer is now a VIP who deserves my attention. For our reception, we are working a tool that scans guests passports without our staff having to touch it,” shared Jacopin.

AMEX GBT reveals average national meal limits for business travellers

By TTGmice

May 21, 2019

Meal-allowance — Meal allowance is the third largest corporate travel and expense category

American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has launched its meal expense whitepaper, Savings for Cravings, which examines tactics and policies that optimise what is widely seen as the third largest corporate travel and expense (T&E) category.

While air and hotel expenses have been a core focus of T&E management for many years, challenges regarding policy creation and spend visibility mean that meal expenditure limits have been difficult to enforce.

Meal allowance is the third largest corporate travel and expense category

In a list of 20 key countries, GBT data has revealed that Australia and the UK have the equal highest meal allowances for breakfast (US$33), France and Spain have the equal highest lunch allowances (US$55), while the UK also has the highest dinner allowance (US$86).

Harris Manlutac, GBT’s head of global business consulting, Asia-Pacific, said: “Many companies have adopted a standardised global meal policy with limits set by destination. These policies can be effective, when adhered to, in controlling spend. However, for multinational organisations, such policies can be difficult to create. We find in many instances that compliance is driven by the attitude of an employee’s line manager.

“A common approach is to set traveller per diem limits. However, as rates can vary greatly between countries it can create challenges. For example, employees from a country with a low per diem rate may often travel to countries where food is expensive. At the same time, a colleague from a different country with higher per diem rate may be on the same business trip, highlighting the disparity. ”

Cultural differences, food preferences, and dining styles can vary significantly depending on an employee’s origin, home country, age, and other demographics. Providing flexibility as part of a policy can, therefore, by advantageous, according to the whitepaper findings.

For example, travellers should be able to spend beyond their meal limits while staying within a prescribed daily limit or quota. Organisations should also consider this practice when staff or external business partners attend meetings, as exceeding a quota for one specific meal may be appropriate.

Manlutac continued: “One of the biggest assets that a company can have is visibility over what employees spend. When employees book flights and accommodation according to their company’s approved travel policy, the recorded travel volume data can be used by companies to negotiate the best rates with suppliers.

“By having effective policies, and spend visibility, meal expense data can also be mobilised as a tool through a number of tactics, such as negotiations with preferred dining programmes. This is a huge growth area for companies looking at new ways to drive considerable savings. We expect technologies, such as mobile apps, to be tracking and supporting meal spend behaviours in the very near future.”

A copy of the meal expense whitepaper, Savings for Cravings, can be downloaded here.

Food waste for thought

By Rachel AJ Lee

May 21, 2019

What first inspired you to come up with a food waste prevention programme?
I identified a huge knowledge gap, which was when I realised there was an opportunity to bring about a positive impact on both business and society, while addressing one of the world’s most pressing issues.

Could you share with us a few tangible examples and successes of your work?
We started focusing on cutting food waste seven years ago, when food waste was not an issue.

One of the successes we are the proudest of is when we managed to convince the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) to endorse us, and subsidise hotels and convention centres that are adopting our food waste prevention programme.

The other achievement worth sharing are results from some of the largest hotel properties in the region such as Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, Marriott’s flagship property in Asia-Pacific. From the beginning of our collaboration in August last year, the hotel reduced food waste by more than 24,850kg in the first four months of implementation, and cut food waste per cover by 30 per cent. We also helped Marriott’s Goji restaurant be the first to achieve the Pledge on Food Waste Gold certification with 94 per cent compliance.

We are currently supporting other restaurant groups in Asia and Europe, to help them reach the gold level of certification.

Another important achievement is the implementation of a food waste prevention campaign at a school for children aged seven to 17 about 1.5 years ago, to encourage lesser food wastage. We’ve seen these kids influence their own parents to cut their wasting habits at home, which for us, is important.

Aside from TCEB, have you approached any other government organisation in South-east Asia like Singapore Tourism Board to partner with them?
We have not worked with other any government organisation in South-east Asia yet. We are, however, currently collaborating with the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, and sharing our expertise with culinary and hotel schools in France. This way, we’ll have a wider impact.

It is worth mentioning that with the TCEB scheme, we helped seven hotels to save more than 155,000kg of food, trained more than 600 professionals, and helped brought about US$600,000 worth of savings in six months. This result will hopefully convince other governmental agencies to partner with us.

The Singapore Tourism Board would be a fantastic partner, especially since
the country’s Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has designated 2019 as the Year Towards Zero Waste, where the government body is working towards becoming a circular economy and zero waste nation. We first initiated talks with The National Environment Agency two years ago, but they did not seem interested at that time, though it may be different today.

I really want to work with Hong Kong, as the need to address food waste is dire there, with landfills choking on waste, and I hope to build bridges with the country soon to bring about an impact.

Could you share with us an overview of the organisation’s learning modules on food efficiency for hospitality schools?
Our work entails three complementary steps.

One, implement a food waste prevention system within operations of culinary schools; two, using the framework offered by the PLEDGE on Food Waste to involve students, staff and chef instructors in a hands-on certification project; and three, sharing knowledge with students from a more scientific angle.

The last is composed of five modules covering the global economic, social and environment repercussions of food waste; food waste and other negative impacts along the supply chain; how to set up an efficient food waste prevention system in food operations (categories, methodology, stakeholders, tools and practices); metrics, KPIs and the necessary new ways to assess F&B performance; and finally, innovation, technologies and international standards such as the PLEDGE on Food Waste, and the Food Loss and Waste Protocol by World Resources Institute.

You mentioned you are working on designing strategic food efficiency programme for hotel groups. Could you please share more?
We want to help hotel groups design and implement a food efficiency strategy across their entire portfolio, as this will save hundreds of tonnes of food, and several million dollar, a year.

They might have goals to cut food waste by 30 or 50 per cent, but reality is knowledge is lacking, data collection is not done properly, and people don’t understand the food waste situation. One of our largest challenges is that hotel groups may not realise the true cost of food waste as it is not quantified, or they do not look at operation costs as a whole.

Misconceptions are hard to change, for example, buffets have been identified as a focus point whereas it only represents 10 to 15% of all food waste for large operations. It is common for large catering venues and hotels to waste more than 900kg of food per day, with an estimated cost at US$3,000 to US$5,000 a day. The cost of food waste ranges between eight to 14 per cent of total revenue!

So we want to make the most of our seven years of experience; thousands of hours spent bin-diving; and all the trial and errors we went through, to support large hotels and restaurant groups design and adopt the right strategy, define the right KPIs, analyse the right data, and use the correct approach and adapted tools. Using a food excess monitoring solution that includes a corporate performance dashboard for example, would help them monitor the situation closely.

Aside from hotels, are you also working with event organisers and corporate planners and their caterers?
We currently do not work with event organisers. We have been working on the capacity building side, for instance, delivering energy-packed workshops for MICE professionals on how to integrate food efficiency strategies and revealing tips on ways to reduce food going to landfills as a differentiation factor.

We haven’t been able to explore a complete food waste prevention programme at events yet, but I am confident it’s just a question of partnership and timing.

Alila SCBD opens two new event spaces

By TTGmice

May 21, 2019

The recently-opened Alila SCBD Jakarta has unveiled two event spaces – the Artisian Bar and Event Gallery – on the property, both of which have been made available for corporate bookings.

Situated at ground level next to the lobby, the Artisian Bar has been designed as a gathering space for the artisan community. Spanning 512m², this space offers a high-ceiling, and is furnished in a modern, minimalist fashion. The space would be good for creative events, or intimate gatherings.

Guests will also be able to admire the many pieces of curated artworks from across Indonesia that adorn walls and niches, celebrating the artistic heritage of regions and indigenous cultures such as South Sulawesi, East Java, and Kalimantan’s Dayak tribe.

Meanwhile, the Event Gallery is located on the third floor of the Alila SCBD. The U-shaped gallery is enclosed by floor-to-ceiling windows that fill the space with natural light, and offers panoramic views of the capital city.

Spanning 714m², the gallery can accommodate around 765 guests cocktail-style. It can also be divided into two smaller spaces – a 313m² South Gallery and 410m² North Gallery. In addition, the gallery is also connected to the hotel’s outdoor Catwalk Pool and terrace, offering a spill-out area surrounded by skyline views.

Event planners need to note that F&B minimum spends apply depending on the event, and corporate buyouts for spaces start at 145 million rupiah (US$10,012).

Email scbd@alilahotels.com.

CWT names head of channel evolution

By TTGmice

May 21, 2019

CWT has appointed David Zimmer as head of channel evolution.

In this newly created role, he will ensure CWT continues to deliver industry-leading options for the way travellers want to interact with the company.

He will be based in London, and report to Niklas Andreen, CWT’s executive vice president and chief traveller experience officer.

Zimmer brings over 20 years of international experience in growth and product innovation across multiple roles. Prior to joining CWT, Zimmer held various leadership positions in the travel industry, where he was most recently global head of innovation & data, hospitality for Travelport.

Clark means business

By Rosa Ocampo

May 21, 2019

2019_Southeast_Asian_Games_Countdown — major events like the 2019 SEA Games will show off the city’s prowess

Major developments in Clark are opening the doors to future business events.
For example, Clark International Airport is now undergoing significant modernisation and expansion. By next year, it will open a new terminal that is expected to triple passenger capacity from four million to 12 million.

When completed in 2021, the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road will radically reduce travel time between industrial hubs Clark and Calamba in Laguna, and the Subic-Clark Cargo Railway will connect Clark’s airport to Subic Port in 2022.

major events like the 2019 SEA Games will show off the city’s prowess

This is amid an increasing number of investments pouring into commercial, industrial, trade and real estate projects into the Philippine city.

Emboldened by these developments, SMX Hotels and Conventions has started building the standalone 4,000m² SMX Convention Center Clark, a departure from the usual SMX convention centres that are within an SM shopping mall.

Vice president sales and marketing, Maria Agnes Pacis, for SMX Hotels and Conventions expects Clark to see “a surge in domestic and international flights, and an upswing in numbers and size of corporate meetings and trade events.”

As such, SMX Clark will have three trade halls, three function rooms and 14 smaller meeting rooms with eco-friendly features. The company is also expanding its existing Park Inn by Radisson Clark, adding 100 more hotel rooms. Both developments are slated to open in 1Q2020.

SMX Clark is also seen as an option for northern Luzon clients to hold big conventions and other events, instead of having to travel all the way to Manila. Clark also has a handful of smaller venues, such as the ASEAN Convention Center and Quest Plus Conference Center.

In addition to Park Inn by Radisson, other hotels are moving in quickly to open international brands in the city. Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort is expected to open in November this year, while the 350-room Hyatt Regency will open in 2022. The 260-room Marriott Hotel Clark also recently opened last year.

Meanwhile, homegrown hotel brands such as Quest and Royce are also expanding their hotel portfolios in Clark.

With these new developments, Clark has the potential to become a conference and exhibition hub, and possibly even serve as an alternative business events city to metro Manila, located about two hours away.

Darlene Achumbre, assistant sales and marketing manager of Midori Clark Hotel, noted: “We are seeing unprecedented infrastructure build up and scores of business, commercial and industrial establishments moving into Clark, reminiscent of the not-so-distant past when Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig strove to compete – successfully, it turned out – as metro Manila’s other CBD.

“Clark’s accessibility to major road networks and the growing number of domestic and regional airlines flying to and from Clark International Airport makes it one of the preferred MICE destinations,” Achumbre said.

Clark is also less congested than metro Manila and is renowned for being a safe destination.

“Clark is proving to be the elusive combination of a business and leisure destination without the traffic that characterises most urban destinations,” Achumbre added.

She said that the new point-to-point buses that leave hourly for Clark from Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Ortigas business centre, and Trinoma in Quezon City “are a big help” in further boosting Clark’s accessibility from Manila, in addition to the increased domestic and Asian regional flights to and from Clark.

Because of Clark’s tourism pull, Achumbre said there are no more high and low seasons. In February for example, her hotel enjoyed unusually high occupancies in the 90s.

The Clark brand launched late last year integrates its four districts, and highlights plans for a clean, green and vibrant city without the pressures of city life. Instead, it seeks to offer effective town planning that can mix business, pleasure and a relaxing lifestyle comfortably.

Colliers International research manager, Joey Bondoc, said: “Developers [should] expand their MICE facilities in Clark, because it is becoming a preferred destination for international events and conferences.”

In addition, neighbouring areas of Pampanga and Zambales also offer attractions for incentive travel, CSR activities, and pre- and post-tours.

JP Cabalza, inbound manager for Corporate International Travel and Tours said Pampanga is renowned for having the best cuisine in the Philippines. The cuisine is a medley of Spanish, Chinese and local influences that are unique to Pampanga, and would be a wonderful experience for delegates.

Cabalza also agreed that meeting planners can put together teambuilding events with sports activities and adventure destinations nearby such as Mount Pinatubo volcano, or the jungles and animal safaris in Subic. CSR activities can also be held with indigenous communities and farming communities in and around Pampanga and Zambales.

Come December, Clark will also reveal its hosting capabilities by hosting some of the 30^th SEA Games events at its world-class sports facilities currently under construction in New Clark City.