South Korean tour company DMZ Spy Tour is promoting two new experiences for corporate groups that give participants a clearer understanding of the relationship between North and South Korea.
The tour company specialises in tours at and around the DMZ – the Korean Demilitarized Zone which exists on the border between North and South Korea.
Shrek Lee, head director of DMZ Spy Tour, explained that as tensions between the two Koreas rose last year along with renewed media attention on North Korea’s nuclear weaponry, foreigners were hesitant to visit the South as they thought there was unrest on the Korean Peninsula.
“So I approached Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and South Korean army agencies, and told them we needed to do something to show travellers how we are able to defend ourselves and that there is peace at the border,” Lee said.
As a result, the signature DMZ Spy Tour, with an angle tailored for corporate groups, was born. The tour comprises activities at the South Korean army camp, a conference opportunity at an indoor venue, an outdoor barbecue and entertainment in the form of a K-pop cover concert or jazz concert.
The other corporate tour is a boardgame-based teambuilding activity built around the Korean War, and a private tour along the North Korean Spy Commando Invasion Route.
Both are good for groups of up to 70 pax.
Lee claims that the signature DMZ Spy Tour is offered exclusively by his company, and has so far been popular among American and Singaporean holidaymakers. “Bookings from OTAs out of Singapore alone (numbered at) 80 last year, bringing us an estimated revenue of US$50,000,” he said.
For the MICE spin-offs, Lee said promotion work has only just started, through fam trips organised with KTO, but feedback has been positive.
“Buyers who went on these experiences were pleasantly surprised that the border is so peaceful and that meetings can even be held near the border,” he added.
The 2019 International Dragon Award (IDA) Annual Congress will take place in Bangkok’s IMPACT Muang Thong Thani from August 10 to 13 this year, bringing 7,500 international delegates to the Thai capital and making it the largest ever Chinese convention to Thailand.
The event is expected to generate revenue of up to 640 million Baht (US$20.7 million).
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) president Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya said in a press statement: “TCEB is delighted to welcome the 2019 IDA Annual Congress to Thailand. We won this event in 2017, following an inspection trip to Thailand by IDA Committee. We then attended the 2018 event in Yunnan last year to extend an invitation to their delegates to attend the 2019 edition in Thailand.
“This highlights the importance of the Chinese market to TCEB and Thailand, and helps raise the profile of Thailand as a conference destination. Thailand has a record profile of hosting mega-size convention every year and the 2019 IDA Annual Congress will be a trademark of such scale event for the Kingdom, as well as reiterates the country’s readiness and ability to host large and important international MICE events.”
The IDA Annual Congress is held in conjunction with the Worldwide Chinese Life Insurance Congress biennially. Worldwide Chinese insurance and financial professionals and top management join in this annual meeting, which has become the signature event of the industry. It has firmly enabled the worldwide Chinese financial and issuance sector to compete with the usually-focus-on-English industry on the international stage.
Kai Tu, chairman of the 2019 IDA Annual Congress, stated: “After an extensive search, we are pleased to select Bangkok as the location for our annual IDA conference. This is the second time that the IDA conference will be taking place in Thailand, and we are grateful for TCEB’s continued support and collaboration in helping us to bring the conference to the lovely city of Bangkok.”
Indian full-service carrier Vistara is kicking its international expansion into high gear, following the collapse of rival Jet Airways which opened up opportunities in India’s aviation network.
The airline commenced its first international flight connecting Delhi and Singapore on August 6, and its Mumbai-Singapore route began yesterday. Coming up later this month are flights connecting India to Dubai and Bangkok.
Vistara’s Leslie Thng said that the airline will focus on regional expansion in 2019
These three new destinations are the first of many to come under Vistara’s expansion plans, shared Leslie Thng, Vistara’s CEO.
“Our focus for 2019 is mainly on the short-haul destinations in South-east Asia, the Middle East and South Asia. We plan to fly to Europe by 2020,” he said, adding that Vistara has “plans eventually to fly to Australia non-stop”.
Currently, the airline connects 27 destinations with a fleet of 30 Airbus A320s and seven Boeing 737-800NG aircrafts. By end-August, it will welcome another two 737 units, and between September to December, nine A320 units. January to March next year will also see the addition of more A321s as well as the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
The current fleet is on lease until 2023. Vistara intends to own a fleet of aircraft – specifically the 787 Dreamliner and A320s – and the company is confident it is able to “cross 100 aircraft in a number of years”.
Vistara is leveraging the demise of Jet Airways to expand its international network
Codeshare partnerships are another strategy for the extension of its global network. On top of its existing agreements with Japan Airlines, British Airways and United Airlines, the Indian carrier has recently expanded its partnership with Singapore Airlines (SIA), and is in talks with other airlines.
Under the expanded arrangement with SIA, Vistara plans to place its flight codes on 44 destinations across the US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
However, the airline has no plans to join any air alliances so as to maintain its flexibility in choosing partners. Thng also said that Vistara’s fare structure will be “reasonable and aligned with the customer” and that the airline will not be competing in the low-cost segment.
“After Jet Airways (suspended its operations), the proportion of full-service capacity in the domestic and international markets has shifted. At this moment in the domestic market, we have about five per cent of the market share. It is dominated by LCCs. But India is a market that is growing, and demand for premium products will continue to grow,” Thng said.
Following the demise of Jet Airways, Vistara took an estimated 600 former staff of the airline under its wing.
SACEOS (Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers) has kicked off the next chapter of its Asia-Pacific Community Building Manifesto, which was developed after the association’s annual signature SMF event last year and completed in October.
This year, SACEOS created the industry’s equivalent of the Davos World Economic Forum at SMF2019 with the participation and partnership of nine international organisations.
They were JMIC (Joint Meetings Industry Council), UFI (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry), PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association), SITE, (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence), BestCities Global Alliance, AIPC (International Association of Convention Centres), MPI (Meeting Professionals International), IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events and IAPCO (International Association of Professional Congress Organisers).
SACEOS president, Aloysius Arlando, told TTGmice the intention was to “develop or deepen partnerships with global and adjacent associations with their respective communities so that collectively we can realise the full potential of the business events industry in today’s digital and globally connected era”.
Arlando commented: “The manifesto is a bold commitment among like-minded stakeholders to confidently harness the new forces of change brought about by the digital era in transforming business events into a powerful platform for socio-economic, intellectual and commercial benefits for stakeholders.
On the thinking behind the manifesto, Arlando, who is also CEO of SingEx Holdings, said: “We are in exciting times where businesses, partnerships and value creation are being determined by the global interplay of digital, networks and talent.
“For this interplay to produce optimum results, business events have emerged as significant enabling platforms that will need to bring together different communities from various industry and functional groups to cross-learn and collaborate to develop new solutions to address industry challenges or emerging industry needs.
“SACEOS recognised that in its evolving journey as a leading association for the business meetings and events industry, it needs to strive to stay abreast, share key and relevant issues impacting the industry.”
Arlando shared that SACEOS had restructured its executive committee to focus on the key thrusts of future business events in line with the spirit of the manifesto, which focuses on people, technology, relationship, destinations, sales, business models and ecosystem.
He continued: “SACEOS will be rolling out agreed initiatives along these thrusts and in partnership with both global and adjacent associations so that the Singapore MICE industry can be future-ready.
“For instance, we have developed a total security programme covering both physical and cyber security with the support of UFI. We have also inked key partnerships with both Alibaba and Tencent-WeChat to leverage on cloud-based and mobile services respectively for our SMEs, which make up the bulk of our industry, to adopt.
SACEOS worked with Oscar Cerezales, COO of MCI Group, to spearhead the manifesto initiative.
Archipelago International has added the Aston Kartika Grogol Hotel & Conference Center to its portfolio.
Located in Grogol, West Jakarta, the hotel offers 189 keys across four categories and facilities such as a rooftop restaurant, fitness centre, spa, swimming pool and executive lounge.
Deluxe Room
The hotel is also equipped with a ballroom that can accommodate more than 2,000 guests in cocktail-style – the biggest in the West Jakarta area – and eight smaller function rooms.
An extensive renovation of one of Siem Reap’s most iconic colonial sites has transformed the FCC Mansion into FCC Angkor, managed by Avani Hotels & Resorts.
Located across the Royal Independence Gardens and Royal Residence, FCC Angkor was once the residence of the French colonial governor as well as the Foreign Correspondent’s Club – a favourite haunt among journalists during the war years which later became a popular meeting place for travellers from around the world.
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In the latest makeover spearheaded by Dutch-born, Bangkok-based talent Malee Whitcraft, alongside Phnom Penh-based Bloom Architecture, the rebranded FCC Angkor now boasts the restored Mansion restaurant, the Scribe bar, Visaya Spa, and two outdoor saltwater pools.
The 80 revamped rooms and suites feature vintage typewriter, rotary dial phones, Khmer carvings and framed front pages of regional newspapers among its decor, plus large windows and terraces that open to lush greenery.
A member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, FCC Angkor has reopened as the first renovated heritage hotel within the FCC Collection, with sister property FCC Phnom Penh currently undergoing renovation and anticipated to open in November 2020.
As a swathe of internationally-branded hotels geared towards the business market open, and more innovative attractions and activities emerge, Qatar is positioning itself as an attractive destination for business meetings and incentive travel.
Huge efforts are being ploughed into transforming Qatar into a tourist destination, with the government outlining the industry as a major player in its Qatar National Vision 2030, and the business events market’s potential is being realised.
Doha’s ultra modern cityscape
Gerhard Stutz, general manager of Dusit Doha Hotel, which opened its doors in April, said: “The Qatar government is leaving no stone unturned in making the tourist journey in Qatar one of the most cherished.”
As part of the push, Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) launched the country’s first global destination campaign to highlight visitor experiences, and celebrate the nation’s heritage last year. The campaign has being rolled out across 15 existing and target markets, with the goal of reaching more than 250 million travellers.
As part of this, QNTC is aiming to capture business event travellers. Added Stutz: “There are exciting opportunities on the horizon as QNTC works towards enhancing the MICE sector.”
Ahmed Al Obaidli, director of exhibitions at Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), said Qatar was awarded the rights to host six major business events between 2019 and 2022, last year. This year, it will host the World Corporate Games – the first time it has been held in the Middle East – and is expected to attract about 8,000 participants.
Al Obaidli added that Qatar offers a variety of authentic experiences, including explorations of archaeological sites, forts and towers, as well as helicopter rides and a variety of city and desert tours that can be curated for incentive groups.
Qatar’s rich seafaring heritage can also be explored with a cruise along Doha’s shoreline in a traditional wooden dhow boat, and camel racing and a 4WD dune-bashing adventure can be carried out in the southern desert. There is also a range of watersport activities along Doha’s coastline.
The nation is also home to a range of sophisticated convention and exhibition facilities.
The Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) features a 4,000-seat conference hall, 2,300-seat theatre, three auditoriums and several meeting spaces. The centre also offers 40,000m2 of column-free exhibition space across nine halls, providing seating for up to 10,000 delegates.
Meanwhile, Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre spans 90,000m2 spread across five pillarless halls, capable of seating more than 34,000 visitors.
Several of the destination’s heritage sites also provide a unique setting for business events, such as the Katara Cultural Village and the Museum of Islamic Art.
Stutz noted that with the country gearing up to host the FIFA World Cup 2022, a range of state-of-the-art infrastructure is being developed, which will help raise the destination’s profile globally.
He added: “Aside from its globally trending monuments and cultural heritage, Qatar boasts of hosting global trade fairs and conferences, which make it one of the most lucrative destinations for business travellers, where they can double up for their work, as well as plan some leisure activities.”
And Qatar’s tourism and business events potential is drawing investors. Thailand’s Centara Hotels recently opened Centara West Bay Residences and Suites in Doha, and a second 509-key Centara Grand property is slated to open in the same city before 1Q2020.
Markland Blaiklock, Centara’s deputy chief executive, said: “We want to develop in the region as we saw a great opportunity. Its location is the gateway between two continents and has an exotic nature. Taking buggy rides to bash the dunes isn’t something you can do anywhere.”
He added that while tourism is still in its infancy – in 2018, the country welcomed two million visitors – the potential is there.
Blaiklock remarked: “The government has an appetite to stage events. I think Doha can position itself as a great MICE destination.”
While Dubai remains the top choice in the Middle East for business events, Blaiklock observed that many corporates are now seeking somewhere different. He said: “People are looking for new places to go. Qatar is interesting, affordable, easy to get to, and somewhere that provides choices and alternative activities.”
Qatar’s connectivity is another selling point, with it serving as a major transit hub between the east and west. The government has eased visa restrictions for many nationalities and Qatar Airways operates its QMICE arm, a one-stop-shop for meeting and incentive planners and conference organisers.
The Asian MICE Cruise Conference (AMCC), organised by TTGmice and TTG Events, will return this September 24 for its second edition, featuring an expanded programme that aims to bring greater awareness of cruising opportunities for corporate event planners.
Cruise Lines International Association’s Jiali Wong (left) and Genting Cruise Lines’ Michael Goh will hold keynote spots
Kicking off AMCC 2019 will be two keynote speakers – Jiali Wong, regional manager – Asia, Cruise Lines International Association and Michael Goh, president, Dream Cruises and head, international sales, Genting Cruise Lines.
Wong will shine a spotlight on Asia’s cruise development and explain how the business events industry can benefit from it, while Goh will take the audience through Genting Cruise Line’s growth in Asia and behind the company’s motivation for developing a MICE specialisation.
Joining Wong and Goh is a panel of high-profile industry players: Angie Stephen, managing director, Asia Pacific, Royal Caribbean Cruises; Felix Chan, vice president, Asia, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings; Freddy Muller, vice president, corporate & incentive sales, Silversea Cruises; Steve Bloss, co-founder and president, Worldwide Cruise Associates; and Henry Yu, director, Asia, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection & U River Cruises.
Throughout the day, five intense panel sessions will tackle topics such as cruises’ ability to support business events; the state of luxury cruise development in the region and its impact on incentive programmes; the role land programmes play in providing a complete reward trip; and cruise companies’ commitment to sustainable efforts.
Programme developer and TTG Asia Media’s group editor, Karen Yue, will moderate the sessions along with her colleagues, Xinyi Liang-Pholsena, editor, TTG Asia and Rachel AJ Lee, sub-editor.
The first Asian MICE Cruise Conference, held last year, was well received
Commenting on the expanded programme, Darren Ng, managing director of TTG Asia Media, said: “Our launch edition last year was attended by more than 400 people from across Asia – most of them being business event planners who were keen to know how cruises could be the next ‘destination’ for their upcoming gatherings. We also had a good number of NTO and CVB representatives in our midst. Feedback from attendees post-conference was positive, and many asked for additional sessions and more time to learn from cruise stakeholders. That encouraged us to create a full-day programme this year.”
AMCC 2019 will run from 8.30am to 3.10pm at the World Ballroom, Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, Thailand. It is part of the larger IT&CM Asia and CTW Asia-Pacific, and welcomes all registered attendees of the doublebill event.
Thailand is working to bring the Farnborough International Airshow to the country
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s (TCEB) commission of a feasibility study on an Asian spinoff of the popular Farnborough International Airshow is now complete, placing Thailand closer to her goal of launching her own international airshow to emphasise the country’s aviation hub potential.
Farnborough International Airshow is a trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries, held in England every even year. Its 2018 edition drew 80,000 visitors and more than 1,500 exhibitors from across the world.
Thailand International Airshow will touch down in the country once U-Tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport is completed
In an interview with TTGmice, Nichapa Yoswee, TCEB’s senior vice president – business, revealed that the idea of launching an international airshow in Thailand emerged when the bureau was looking for an impressive manner to inaugurate the opening of the new generation U-Tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport, which forms an important part of the Aerotropolis project in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) development.
The Aerotropolis will speed Thailand towards its goal of making Thailand a hub for aviation MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul). To facilitate this, U-Tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport is being upgraded to a commercial airport and an MRO facility, shared Nichapa.
Nichapa said: “Not only will the airshow amplify Thailand as the region’s MRO hub and bring attention to the Aerotropolis, it will also be a very good opportunity for the world to see Thailand’s business events capability.”
She recalled: “When we first approached Farnborough International (organiser of the event), they were sceptical. So I hired them to do some research. They did, and they came back with a different tone. This time, they said, “Yes, Thailand!”
Nichapa: confident in Thailand’s hosting ability of the airshow
During a press conference on July 31, Nichapa explained that the Thailand International Airshow feasibility study covered global overview, regional market potential, industry feedback, competitive landscape, Thailand’s EEC development and the government’s Thailand 4.0 initiative (which aviation and aerospace is part of), while providing recommendations for Thailand to stage the event and economic impacts.
Besides the feasibility study and domestic industry hearing, TCEB visited Farnborough International Airshow in UK in 2018 as well as Bahrain International Airshow and Paris Air Show in 2019 to get an overview of how to attract major airshow events to Thailand.
Nichapa said the action plan to stage Thailand International Airshow enhanced TCEB’s role as co-creator under its Thailand Redefine Your Business Events branding, which aims at generating business opportunities in the 12 industries under Thailand 4.0 economic model.
When asked when the Thailand International Airshow will happen, Nichapa said it would come soon after the completion of U-Tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport in five years’ time.
“But before that, we will have soft launches and conventions for aerospace parts and manufacturing, and others,” she revealed.
As for how the Thailand International Airshow will set itself apart from other international airshows as well as those in the region, Nichapa said research on this was still being worked on by Farnborough.
“I have asked the team to spell out distinct differentiation for our airshow. We probably would like the airshow to also celebrate certain occasions in Thailand, not just to inaugurate U-Tapao Airport,” she said.
Tourists taking a photo in front of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur
Anyone flying out of Malaysia will have to pay a departure tax ranging from RM8 (US$1.92) to RM150 from September 1, the government has announced.
The amount will vary based on the destination and flight class, according to a ministerial order gazetted by the Federal Government on July 31.
Tourists taking a photo in front of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur
Economy class passengers travelling from Malaysia to other South-east Asian states will have to pay a departure levy of RM8, while those travelling non-economy will be charged RM50. Those travelling on economy class outside of South-east Asia will have to fork out RM20, while those in non-economy class will have to pay RM150.
The departure levy will not be imposed on children below 24 months old, as well as passengers transiting via Malaysia to another destination abroad not exceeding 12 hours.
Adam Kamal, general manager, Tour East Malaysia, said: “The introduction of this levy coupled with the tourism tax which has been imposed since September 1, 2017, will directly affect the competitiveness of Malaysia. Our competition for groups and MICE movements are with other destinations within South-east Asia.”
He suggested that the departure levy be postponed until after Visit Malaysia 2020 and that the government announce signature events for next year to attract more international tourists to Malaysia in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia campaign.
Arokia Das Anthony, director, Luxury Tours Malaysia, said: “The departure levy will affect arrivals to Malaysia. The destination is becoming more and more expensive, what with the tourism tax imposed two years ago, followed by an increase in the passenger service charge at klia2 from RM50 to RM73 for travel outside South-east Asia imposed from January 1, 2018, and now the departure levy added on.”
He added: “Agents are selling the same old products, but we keep adding additional charges into the total package cost. It is also not the right time to impose the departure levy as it will make it harder to reach the targeted volume of 30 million tourists that the government is targeting for Visit Malaysia 2020.”
However, Musa Yusof, director-general, Tourism Malaysia, was more optimistic. He shared: “I believe that Malaysia has attractive tourism products and offerings that strongly appeal to a wide market. It would be unlikely for tourists to discount Malaysia solely due to the imposing of these extra charges, some of which are considered minimal.”
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Shrek Lee, head director of DMZ Spy Tour, explained that as tensions between the two Koreas rose last year along with renewed media attention on North Korea’s nuclear weaponry, foreigners were hesitant to visit the South as they thought there was unrest on the Korean Peninsula.
