Ogilvy births solution to identify business leads at events

November 22, 2018

shutterstock_765036655 — Data takes the lead in business lead generation in Oglivy's newest solution

Real-time data is the next step in lead generation, as Ogilvy Singapore develops a solution that identifies hot leads during an event.

EventPlus 2.0, developed by Ogilvy Singapore’s Innovation Lab, produces a live lead-scoring model that identifies and prioritises leads with the highest potential. It does this by incorporating data from pre-event registration and during the event via RFID tracking.

Data takes the lead in business lead generation with the help of Oglivy’s newest event solution

The system also aids in tracking user engagement during an event, such as through attendee movement patterns and time spent at each booth. This also generates an event heat map showing the most popular booths, the average visit duration and more.

Teresa Shiang, associate director, Ogilvy, explained that currently, the “most common way” that feedback is collected from events for lead qualification is “through physical paper surveys or a mobile app that attendees have to download”, which are “intrusive to the event experience”.

She said: “The biggest pain point of event organisers is a lack of understanding of what is happening live and in real-time at the event. For most attendees that do not respond to paper or mobile app surveys, they become a missed opportunity or lead for organisers.”

As an alternative, EventPlus 2.0 provides real-time data visualisation of the event and live lead qualification, which are subsequently imported into the client’s CRM system. Meanwhile, the RFID tags and gateway technology used for location tracking can also be reused in future events.

“The sales team could send their best salesperson to meet the hottest leads identified by the lead scoring model during the event itself,” said Shiang.

She revealed that at its infancy stage, companies had “initial concerns about privacy and location tracking” when using such data-driven technology. However, the location trackers in EventPlus 2.0 use a RFID technology that is designed for tracking only within a designated event area, Shiang clarified.

Ogilvy first developed this solution for a global technology company in Singapore. It is now open to clients in B2B industries that host large-scale events or conferences.

Shiang further shared that Ogilvy is looking into “other behaviours that can be tracked by RFID technology” in order to “enrich the lead scoring model”.

She added: “We’re continually refining and adapting depending on the industry, and the product we’re running this solution for.”

After Tauzia, Ascott partners developer Ciputra in Indonesia

By Mimi Hudoyo

November 22, 2018

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Image_5_Ascott_and_Ciputra_inks_strategic_alliance — Front row: Ascott’ Ervin Yeo (left) and Ciputra’s Artadinata Djangkar

Ascott has formed a strategic alliance with Ciputra Development Group, one of Indonesia’s top property developers, to manage serviced residences in Indonesia and China within the next five years.

The announcement made yesterday did not disclose the number of properties Ciputra was planning to develop in both countries within the period, but revealed that the 253-unit Citadines Sudirman Jakarta targeted to open in 2021 would be the first property under the alliance.

Front row: Ascott’ Ervin Yeo (left) and Ciputra’s Artadinata Djangkar

Artadinata Djangkar, senior director of Ciputra, said that prior to formalising the alliance, the companies had already been in partnership over a span of two decades.

“It started with Somerset Grand Citra Jakarta in 1996 (which is jointly owned with Ascott Residence Trust). Ascott also acquired Ascott Kuningan Jakarta from Ciputra in 2014 and Ascott Sudirman Jakarta in 2017,” he said.

The signing ceremony yesterday also simultaneously marked the opening of the 192-unit Ascott Sudirman.

Artadinata said: “In Indonesia, we have properties in cities such as Jakarta, Semarang and Surabaya with the potential to be developed into serviced residences. These properties can be managed by Ascott through its portfolio of brands.”

Kevin Goh, Ascott’s CEO, said: “Forming strategic cooperation with leading industry players continues to be a key growth strategy for Ascott, as it provides us with accelerated access to a pipeline of quality projects.”

The alliance with Ciputra follows Ascott’s recent partnership with Tauzia Hotel Management, one of Indonesia’s major hotel operators.

Goh added that strategic partnerships have helped Ascott add the biggest number of properties in Indonesia in a year.

“With an expanded product offering, we expect to pick up pace in our growth in the country. Indonesia is South-east Asia’s largest economy, where we see huge potential for us to expand.”

Erwin Yeo, Ascott regional general manager Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, said Ascott currently operated nine properties in Indonesia and would open nine more serviced residences with more than 1,600 units in the country over the next five years, including first properties in Bandung, Somerset Asia Afrika Bandung and Citadines Kings Bandung.

Tech improvements and their impact on business trips

By Caroline Boey

November 22, 2018

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You made a bold forecast at a recent corporate travel forum that business trips will fall in five years’ time due to technology innovations. Are you talking about Asia-Pacific or globally?
It is a global trend as the key driver for this is technology advancement, changing how people perform their work.

From what I have seen in the past few years, the following are some factors resulting in business trip cuts.

The consolidation of operations – especially for back-office functions like finance, HR and IT – where more and more companies are setting up a shared services centre or are outsourcing, and this reduces the number of locations to have to travel to.

The advancement in telecommunication, where cost and quality have improved tremendously. In the past, the IDD charges may justify a trip. For quality, even a notebook computer has a built-in camera that is good for making video calls.

Then there is the increasing awareness of corporate social responsibility, where companies are more concerned about their carbon footprint because of travel, and are encouraging less consumption.

How will the role of corporate travel managers change and will they be out of a job?
Given the reduction in business travel, corporate travel managers will need to be more strategic.

Say from a cost perspective, travel managers will need to actively consolidate the number of corporate hotels to avoid room nights from thinning out, for example. From the travellers’ perspective, there will be higher expectations and they will only travel for very important reasons and they would need to be well taken care of when they go on these “high-quality” business trips.

Of course this all depends on how the travel industry evolves.

You are now regional procurement and travel lead for Asia-Pacific. Will this role continue to exist in five years’ time in Asia-Pacific and how do you foresee MNCs managing corporate travel?
I hope so!

Even with technology advances, there will still be a need for travel managers. Technology can support online booking tools (OBT) to link directly with a company for approval or the HR system. But travel managers are needed to understand the needs and objectives of management, and to communicate them to the TMC to configure the OBT. Travel managers also have to translate corporate direction and policies into practical procedures and communicate them to the TMC and travellers.

Personally, I see MNCs continuing to try to achieve cost efficiency and effectiveness by providing the most suitable solutions to the varied travel needs of travellers that align with company’s direction at the best available costs.

What keeps you up at night as a corporate travel manager and what new challenges do you foresee in the next five years?
How to educate the traveller on the difference between leisure and corporate travel. That is always a headache.

From time to time I receive feedback from travellers saying “I see better hotel rates at another website” or “I used Skyscanner and the price is cheaper than the one quoted by our TMC”.

I have reviewed a number of cases and have taken into consideration the fee charged by TMC, or certain members-only discount or benefits provided by the vendor, or some vendors offering their lowest cost products on their own website, or travellers only looking at the price without understanding the restrictions, particularly for flights.

Travellers only see their own one-off itinerary and costs, but the travel manager has to consistently deliver the best cost. And the travel manager will not be able to consolidate the spend and negotiate a better corporate deal If every traveller books the same hotel using a random booking site, for example.

This is not a new challenge but one that will continue to exist, given how the travel industry is more transparent today because of various new tools and websites. Travellers will have access to low prices but travel managers need to educate them of the difference, and this ties in with my belief that the role of the travel manager will not become extinct.

And if you can predict one thing in corporate travel that will not change over the next five years, what is it?
There is “no one size fits all” – the size of rooms, the need for a gym, the availability of F&B selections and the distance to the work location.

Beyond Asia: OCEC, Hollywood Roosevelt, and Radisson Blu Hotel, Trabzon

By TTGmice

November 22, 2018

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Said_Al_Shanfari_Option__(7) — Said Al Shanfari

OCEC appoints new CEO
Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) has appointed Said Salim Al-Shanfari as its CEO, who has been tasked to lead the organisation through its next phase of innovation and growth, and align with the Sultanate’s 2040 tourism strategy.

Al-Shanfari has experience working in leadership roles in marketing and communications across Oman, as well as in the region. His experience includes various management positions during his eight-year tenure in Ooredoo Oman.

He was most recently general manager of marketing communication and performance at Omantel.

New meeting space at the Hollywood Roosevelt
The 300-key Hollywood Roosevelt has added a new meeting and event space.

The new studio space, called the White Room, is available for private meetings and events. Located just off the property’s Tropicana Pool & Café, it is accessible through gardens and palms leading to a set of glass sliding doors. Attendees can also enter through the Joshua Vides hallway, a secret walk-through art installation painted by the urban artist in his signature graphic black and white style.

The Hollywood Roosevelt also recently restored its Blossom Ballroom, a historic space that was the site of the first Academy Awards in 1929.

In total, the property has more than 2,300m² of indoor and outdoor meeting space, spread across 11 rooms. In addition to the White Room and the Blossom Ballroom, meeting planners can also select from the historic Academy Room, which is the former thinkspace of the Motion Picture Academy, or the rooftop deck.

Radisson Blu opens an outpost in Trabzon, Turkey
The Radisson Blu Hotel, Trabzon, has opened its doors in the historic Turkish city of Trabzon.

Situated in Boztepe, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Trabzon, is at the heart of an area of ancient religious significance and the site of four major sacred fountains. The hotel stands two kilometres from the city centre, offering 162 rooms, some with balconies, and views of the Black Sea.

There are two F&B options on-site: Turkish eatery Kolcuoglu, and international à la carte all-day-dining restaurant Queen. Meanwhile, leisure facilities include a spa and wellness centre, gym, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. For events and functions, there are five conference rooms, and a ballroom capable of hosting over 1,200 people.

Frasers Hospitality adds fourth Thai property to portfolio

By TTGmice

November 22, 2018

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Modena_by_Fraser_Buriram_Gym_&_Pool_(night) — Gym and pool at

Frasers Hospitality has opened its 152-unit hotel residence Modena by Fraser Buriram in north-eastern Thailand.

The hotel residence boasts a range of facilities, including complimentary Wi-Fi, home entertainment systems, a swimming pool, 24/7 fitness centre, a launderette as well as a restaurant bar. Bistro@M, the property’s open-kitchen concept restaurant, offers all-day dining that showcases the region’s famed Isaan cuisine.

For corporate functions, Modena by Fraser Buriram offers a 240m² function room.

The property is located near the Chang International Circuit race track and the Chang Arena, a FIFA-standard football stadium that is home to Thailand’s leading football team. Buriram Castle Mall also stands in its vicinity.

Frasers Hospitality entered Thailand with Fraser Suites Sukhumvit in 2007, later expanding to include Modena by Fraser Bangkok, the brand’s first property outside of China, and North Park Place, a luxury serviced residence located within the exclusive Rajpruek Golf Club in Bangkok in 2016.

Frasers Hospitality’s global footprint stands at more than 150 properties in over 80 cities worldwide with over 24,000 keys.

Adrian Chan helms two Marriott hotels in Sanya

By TTGmice

November 21, 2018

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Adrian Chan is appointed the new general manager of Sanya Marriott Hotel Dadonghai Bay and The Shanhaitian Resort Sanya, Autograph Collection.

The hospitality veteran has over 22 years of management experience in various cities – including Calgary, Beijing, Suzhou, Chengdu and Sanya – under his belt.

Born in Hong Kong, Chan first started his career at the Calgary Marriott before taking up various operational roles in other international luxury hospitality companies, including Fairmont, IHG, MGM, Swire and Rosewood.

Prior to this appointment, he was also the pre-opening hotel manager for Rosewood Sanya.

Hiroshima’s latest campaign focuses on unique event venues

By Julian Ryall

November 20, 2018

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Hiroshima-city — Hiroshima city (pictured) will soon have a Hilton

The Japanese city of Hiroshima has launched a new campaign to bring awareness to a set of new unique event venues, determined to convince planners to be a little more adventurous in their choice of a host city.

“Hiroshima is as well known as Tokyo and Osaka around the world, but only because it was the first city to be the target of an atomic bomb,” said Takayuki Kitayoshi, executive director of the Hiroshima Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Hiroshima city (pictured) has a new campaign in place aimed at attracting more business events

“We want people to know us as more than just a city of peace, so we have begun a campaign to promote a number of unique venues that we believe will appeal to people who come to Hiroshima from abroad for business events,” he said.

The new venues include the mountainside Irori Sanzoku restaurant and gardens, the Hiroshima Museum of Art, the new Hiroshima Orizuru Tower and the impressive Daisyoin Temple.

Kitayoshi: Hiroshima has so much to offer

“We are also creating a better environment in terms of our conference centre and other meeting facilities, as well as improving the ‘soft’ side through the ‘omotenashi’ (hospitality) welcome of the people of Hiroshima,” Kitayoshi told TTGmice.

The bureau is reaching out to potential groups by attending major tradeshows including those in Frankfurt and Las Vegas, enhancing its web presence, and collaborating with the Japan National Tourism Organization.

The city hosted 87 international business events in 2017, and has set a target of 100 in the year 2020, according to Yukiharu Sakaya, director of the city government’s Tourism Policy Department.

“We are a regional city that is famous for our past but we want to show off our present to the world, and we are reaching out to organisations all around the world to encourage them to come to Hiroshima,” said Sakaya.

Given the city’s size and accommodation options – Hiroshima has 15,000 hotel rooms – it is probably better suited to smaller events, although authorities here are also looking into piggy-backing cultural events and receptions on larger conferences and exhibitions in other parts of Japan.

Rydoo expands global footprint; sets up shop in Manila

By TTGmice

November 20, 2018

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Rydoo-Manila — The Rydoo Manila team settling into their new office

Travel and expense management platform, Rydoo, will be opening two more offices in Manila, the Philippines, and Lisbon, Portugal just five months after its launch.

The company’s hub in Manila will have a two-fold objective – to better serve its existing global clients operating in the Asia-Pacific region, and to support the growing local demand for a travel and expense management solution.

The Rydoo Manila team settling into their new office

Meanwhile in Europe, Lisbon will host the company’s fourth European hub, and the corp-up is targeting to bring onboard 20 new employees by January 2019.

“We have experienced an accelerated growth since the launch of Rydoo five months ago. The time is right for us to expand our presence in Asia-Pacific and open new hubs. Manila and Lisbon are great places when it comes to innovation and talent,” explained Sebastien Marchon, CEO of Rydoo.

Rydoo reinvents and simplifies business travel and expense management through the expertise of the two startups from which it emerged: Xpenditure and iAlbatros.

Headquartered in Paris, Mechelen and Warsaw, Rydoo currently operates in 63 markets and services more than 6,500 customers.

GainingEdge’s new index measures cities’ competitiveness, guides destination growth

By Rosa Ocampo

November 20, 2018

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Topping the 2018 competitive rankings of the 54 cities are Paris and Washington.

An index that ranked cities – based on their competitive strength for attracting international conventions – was unveiled at the 52^nd ICCA Congress, recently held in Dubai.

GainingEdge’s International Convention Destination Competitive Index uses 11 key drivers that influence the decision-making of associations in selecting venues. The first three drivers which account for 45 per cent of the total score are the “hygiene factors” or the essentials, such as convention centre capacity, hotel capacity and air access.

The next three drivers with 30 per cent weightage are “competitive advantage” factors. This includes the size of the destination’s association community, cost and destination appeal in both business and tourism. The remaining 25 per cent fall into “key differentiators”, which includes logistics, market size, economy, business environment, safety and stability.

GainingEdge’s CEO Gary Grimmer told TTGmice that the index for now ranks 54 cities in ICCA’s 2017 list – destinations that have hosted 150 or more international conventions. It will be expanded to more than 200 cities later.

Topping the 2018 competitive rankings of the 54 cities are Paris and Washington. Meanwhile in Asia, Singapore is the Asian leader both in terms of the number of meetings hosted and competitiveness, followed by Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Shanghai and Taipei.

Paris topped the 2018 competitive rankings of the 54 cities

Grimmer shared that while ICCA’s yearly statistics tell cities how much business they are hosting, the competitive index can be a standard resource in determining how much business they should be getting. He added that there is no direct correlation between the ICCA numbers and those in GainingEdge’s competitive index.

“Our index really has nothing to do with which are the most successful cities. And, we are also stressing that this is not a qualitative study. This is not about which cities are the best choices for international conventions. This is about which cities overall have the most competitive products.

“This is an assessment of how destinations compare in general, in terms of their product offerings, as well as other factors that are most frequently considered in destination decisions,” pointed out Grimmer.

Also part of the index is a scenario model which plots the cities based on two considerations: whether their business is growing or declining, and whether they are hosting more or fewer conventions than the competitive index suggests that they should.

The scenario model aims to help destinations gain insights into where they are and whether they should be in market share building mode, or market protection mode, Grimmer said.

GainingEdge has factored into the equation the “concept of fair share”. By factoring the competitive strength of destinations against the total business being produced in their competitive sets, the index can give them an indication of whether they are ahead or behind where they should be.

“Providing a means of calculating fair share will be very powerful for cities as they seek to align government expectations with the resources required to get the job done,” explained Grimmer.

He said the index has useful applications for CVBs and destinations including competition analysis, goal setting, performance measurement, strategic visioning, planning, resourcing and product development, as well as communications and branding.

The Index is available here.

CWT releases a new AI travel reporting tool

By TTGmice

November 20, 2018

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Global travel management company Carlson Wagonlit Travel has launched CWT AnswerIQ, an AI-powered data insight, reporting and visualisation tool that has been touted to work as a “personalised search engine”.

“CWT AnswerIQ makes corporate travel reporting as easy as shopping for your next pair of shoes on the internet,” said Eric Tyree, chief data scientist, Carlson Wagonlit Travel. “You type your request in the search box, AnswerIQ goes through all your data, and gives you the answers – visualised for ease of understanding.”

By incorporating search engine capabilities on top of CWT’s data lake, CWT AnswerIQ allows clients to access all the data about their own travel programmes in a simple and intuitive way.

The tool provides visibility over three years’ worth of data, updated multiple times every day. Using AI-assisted search technology and machine learning, it adapts and improves its search capabilities, and becomes more personalised over time.

Currently available on a 60-day free trial, CWT AnswerIQ provides a variety of visualisation options. Users can design, create and share dashboards with their colleagues, improving programme effectiveness and saving clients time and money.

Ogilvy births solution to identify business leads at events

After Tauzia, Ascott partners developer Ciputra in Indonesia

Tech improvements and their impact on business trips

Beyond Asia: OCEC, Hollywood Roosevelt, and Radisson Blu Hotel, Trabzon

Frasers Hospitality adds fourth Thai property to portfolio

Adrian Chan helms two Marriott hotels in Sanya

Hiroshima’s latest campaign focuses on unique event venues

Rydoo expands global footprint; sets up shop in Manila

GainingEdge’s new index measures cities’ competitiveness, guides destination growth

CWT releases a new AI travel reporting tool

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