Hyatt’s most-recent opening in China is the Hyatt Regency Shanghai Jiading.
Designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, the 304-key hotel sits in Jiading New City, a suburban district of Shanghai.
Guestrooms are located from floors 27 to 40, and include 23 suites, four executive suites, and a presidential suite. Each room offers panoramic lake or city views and comes equipped with free Wi-Fi, a 55-inch multi-channel LED TV, and Bluetooth sound system.
Facilities include a heated indoor pool and 24-hour gym, and four F&B options whose interiors were designed by award-winning Japanese interior design firm, Super Potato. The four options include Xiang Yue Chinese restaurant on the 43rd floor – which also boasts seven VIP private dining rooms; Market Cafe; The Lounge; or the Pastry Shop.
For events and functions, the hotel has around 3,500m2 of flexible space comprising The Regency Ballroom with 6.7m-high ceiling, outdoor terrace, and eight meeting rooms.
The hotel stands adjacent to the Shanghai Poly Grand Theater, Yuanxiang Lake and Jiading Library, and also offers convenient access to the F1 Shanghai International Circuit, Anting International Automobile City and Jiading Industry Zone.
Guests will also be able to explore 800 years of local culture at nearby Nanxiang Old Town and Anting Old Street. Meanwhile, the National Exhibition and Convention Center, Hongqiao International Airport and Hongqiao Railway Station are only a short drive away.
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has appointed Claudine Triolo to the role of regional director of sales and marketing for Thailand, Bhutan and Cambodia.
Triolo joins the group following an 11-year tenure with Bangkok-based Premier Resorts & Hotels where she spent the past eight years as director of sales and marketing.
The American first began her hospitality and travel career with Asia Transpacific Journeys in Boulder, Colorado as a tour operation manager. She then relocated to Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2004 where she was director of guest communications, before joining Premier Resorts & Hotels in 2012.
Nikie Mok has been appointed director of sales & marketing at W Kuala Lumpur.
She was most recently the director of sales and marketing at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral.
The hospitality veteran has been in the industry for over 18 years. She first began her career at Hotel Nikko Kuala Lumpur, before rising up the ranks at Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel to become assistant director of sales – corporate, meeting & convention.
She has also spent time as director of sales at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur Hotel and Renaissance Kuala Lumpur.
(First row, from left) Dean Rossilli; Clinton Lovell; Ingo Domaschke; Sanjeev Kapoor
(Second row, from left) Sanjiva Gautamadasa; Porntip Pibarnwong; Sirilak Buahom
Onyx Hospitality Group has made seven key hotel leadership appointments as part of its ongoing growth and expansion across the Asia-Pacific region.
Dean Rossilli has been named area general manager for Malaysia to pave the way for the group’s plans to have six hotels open across the three key gateway cities of Peninsula Malaysia by 2021.
(First row, from left) Dean Rossilli; Clinton Lovell; Ingo Domaschke; Sanjeev Kapoor (Second row, from left) Sanjiva Gautamadasa; Porntip Pibarnwong; Sirilak Buahom
Currently based at Amari Johor Bahru, Rossilli joined Onyx from the Pan Pacific Hotels Group where he held general manager roles in Indonesia and Singapore. Throughout his 25-year career, he has assumed various leadership roles with companies and brands such as GLH Thistle, Marriott, Renaissance and Sheraton in Australia, the UK, the US and South-east Asia.
Clinton Lovell is the new general manager for Amari Watergate Bangkok. Joining Onyx from Minor Hotels, Clinton was general manager at Avani Atrium Bangkok as well as Anantara Seminyak Bali. He also held earlier leadership roles with Accor Hotels in Bangkok, Koh Samui, Pattaya and Siem Reap.
Rossilli and Lovell will both report directly to David Cumming, regional vice president of operations for Onyx’s expanding presence across Bangkok, Malaysia and Laos.
In addition, veteran Onyx general manager Ingo Domaschke has moved from his previous Koh Samui-based role to Pattaya as opening general manager for Ozo Pattaya, scheduled to open in 2020.
He is also part of the pre-opening task force for the early 2019 relaunch of Amari Pattaya Ocean Tower and unveil of the new Amari Pattaya Ocean Suites, offering his expertise from the refurbishment and recent relaunch of Amari Koh Samui.
In Bangkok, Sanjeev Kapoor has been named general manager of Shama Sukhumvit Bangkok and Ekamai Gardens Bangkok. Sanjeev joins Onyx from Oakwood where he served as general manager for Oakwood Premier in Bangalore. His hotel career started with Hyatt in Melbourne, before taking on leadership roles with Crown Resorts, The Leela Group in New Delhi and TFE Hotels in Melbourne.
Sanjiva Gautamadasa joins the the company as general manager of Amari Vogue Krabi. Of Sri Lankan heritage, Sanjiva has held various leadership roles with Alila Hotels in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, and with Jetwing, Oberoi and Dubai International Hotel.
Two female leaders have also been promoted to hotel manager roles. Porntip Pibarnwong has been named hotel manager for Amari Residences Bangkok, Chiva Bangkok Hotel and Amp Am House. She was previously director of sales and marketing at Amari Watergate Bangkok.
Sirilak Buahom is now hotel manager for Sukhothai Heritage Resort, having been promoted from her previous role as guest relations manager at Amari Watergate Bangkok.
How did you begin in the business of events?
I started in 1975. In those days there were not many conferences and most of the business we got were tourism-centric. When there were conferences, they were small in nature and managed by the host companies themselves. Nobody thought of hiring a professional conference planner.
Chander Mansharamani
The lack of professional conference organisers in India came as a tremendous opportunity for us. I always believed that if I needed to diversify my business, I would have to create a new stream from my existing business.
Back then we dealt with the International Science Academy which organised a lot of scientific meetings. However, they were only using our services for travel. We proposed to handle their meetings but they were of the impression that travel agencies wouldn’t be able to handle meetings professionally.
What was your big break?
Alpcord Network Travel & Conferences finally got through to the International Science Academy in 1979. We ensured that no stone would be left unturned to make its meeting a success.
By then, we were handling a lot of business travel and many of our corporate clients were engaging us for their events too.
The next major boost for Alpcord came when the company handled a diabetics conference in 1984, one that saw 4,000 delegates in attendance. Running it was challenging as Delhi didn’t have enough hotel rooms in those days.
What keeps you going after spending decades in the business?
My passion for my work is the answer. I work 13 to 14 hours a day and I’m not tired because I love my work.
One needs a motivation at work, and I have found mine. When I compete with bigger agencies and win, I feel proud. We have won the national award thrice which is a recognition for me as an individual and for my company.
How do you see the evolution of the Indian economy impacting the country’s conference business?
The Indian economy has grown over the years, especially in information technology, medical and science. This has helped to bring more international conferences into the country.
Business events develop in proportion to a country’s economy.
Associations related to these fields are also seeing significant membership growth in the last few decades. For instance, at one time there were only
300 members in associations such as that of the ophthalmology field, but the same associations today boast 18,000 members.
What role has the Indian government played in the growth of the country’s conference business?
Our government has been very supportive.
The India Convention & Promotion Bureau (ICPB) provides a platform for the industry to come together and grow the inbound meetings market. There are many changes at ICPB that will help us compete with other destinations and bring more business into the country.
India’s ministry of tourism is also looking to introduce an incentive scheme for PCOs that bring international events into the country.
Having seen how India has evolved as a business events destination, what else do you think is needed for the country to truly shine?
We have many venues for meetings and conferences in India, but we lack purpose-built large convention spaces like the Hyderabad International Convention Centre.
India needs bigger facilities and with the facelift of Pragati Maidan (in Delhi), we will soon have an integrated world-class exhibition and convention centre. We need more of such facilities across the country.
Can India’s business events suppliers do better?
Planners in India need to look into staff training and ensure that employees attend certification programmes offered by global bodies like SITE.
Industry sellers need to understand that foreign agencies will gain stronger confidence in them if they had certified staff.
Hotels need to understand that business event delegates need to be treated differently from other guests.
What’s keeping you busy?
Alpcord Network Travel & Conferences has a number of events lined up until 2019. We are also going to Dublin to bid for a major medical event scheduled for 2026.
As a whole, there is a good future for India’s inbound business events. Our economy is booming, and public and private sectors are working together to improve India’s standing in business events.
Following a year in his role as director of sales at The Sanchaya, Jared Green will now assume an expanded capacity as director of sales and marketing.
In his new role, he will handle strategic partnerships with Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, Preferred and other consortia accounts, while developing global marketing initiatives.
The beachfront estate in Bintan features 29 villas and suites plus a private residence. It is also home to two restaurants, a bar, wine cellar with an ocean view, library and 50m infinity pool, among other facilities.
Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau’s (TCEB) move to align its destination promotion efforts with the country’s 4.0 economic policy is paying dividends, with four new exhibitions confirmed for the kingdom.
The four exhibitions are CEBIT ASEAN Thailand from Germany (under the digital and innovation sector); LabelExpo Southeast Asia, Future Energy Asia from UK, and Medical Devices ASEAN.
Representatives from TCEB which included Kanokporn Damrongkul (second from left) and Nichapa Yoswee (centre) at the Hong Kong roadshow
Thailand’s 4.0 policy which was announced last year, targets 10 industries such as smart devices, next-gen automotive, robotics, aviation and digital.
Speaking at a business forum in Hong Kong last week, TCEB’s senior vice president business, Nichapa Yoswee, told TTGmice that progress was fast.
“When the policy was launched, we went out, got discussions going and agreements made,” she said.
She added: “I believe that the new policy provides clarity on where the country is heading in relation to the industry’s needs. It helps the organisers to be more focused on their own targets. They know exactly what to bring to the fairground, and most importantly, all the supplementary and subsequent supporting schemes that are in place to drive the whole national policy programme.”
When recounting the success of attracting new exhibitions to Thailand, TCEB’s director of exhibitions, Kanokporn Damrongkul, said that this was not sheer luck.
Taking CEBIT ASEAN Thailand as an example, she elaborated: “We worked closely with the organiser in Germany by starting research related to the digital and innovation industry in Thailand. Then, we hooked them up with a local partner – Impact – in Thailand. We also worked closely with another government department, the Ministry of Digital Economy, and linked them up to get endorsement and support. Once the show was confirmed, financial support was offered.”
The first South-east Asia edition of CEBIT from Germany will be taking place from October 18-20 later this year.
For 2019, TCEB’s focus will be on aviation, robotic and biochemical industries, and the industry has already taken a step towards this. For instance, Airbus recently formed a joint venture with Thai Airways for a maintenance and overhaul facility at U-Tapao International Airport.
Nichapa further shared that TCEB is currently in talks with aerospace and air show organisers to bring airshows to Thailand. Once these three categories have had shows materialised, the medical sector will be next on the agenda.
Incentive programmes will also be upgraded next year. For instance, the Bidding Fund for organisers will replace the Premier Exhibition Access Programme which helps to attract shows in Thailand. More details will be announced in September. As well, ASEAN Privilege will replace Connect Businesses and have upgraded elements such as a subsidy for accommodation and cash incentives for South-east Asian buyers.
Meanwhile, the new EXHIBIZ in Market campaign will be tailor-made for the heads of pavilion, governments, associations, and non-profit organisations that would like to bring groups of suppliers to exhibit in any tradeshow in Thailand.
According to Kanokporn, collaboration with worldwide exhibition associations is also being strengthened.
“We’ll bring Thai organisers to do business matching with key associations. Additionally, as we have cooperation with South-east countries in the form of MoUs, we will be able to access to their association members,” Kanokporn elaborated.
Three roadshows are currently being planned for September 2018 in Cambodia.
The latest announcement has brought relief to five-star hotels in Colombo and travel agents
The Sri Lankan government has announced the removal of a nine-year-old minimum room rates scheme for hotels in Colombo, a move that is expected to be boon for five-star hoteliers in the capital city.
The scheme was unpopular with five-star hotels, which believed their competitiveness was diminished as a result, but found favour among lower hotel categories.
The latest announcement has brought relief to five-star hotels in Colombo and travel agents
Minimum room rates of US$125++ (or around US$185, inclusive of taxes) for five-star hotels were enforced in late 2009 at the end of Sri Lanka’s bloody internal conflict, in anticipation of increasing tourist arrivals and following complaints by small hotels of price cutting by five-star hotels.
For four-star hotels the minimum room rate was US$95++ and three-star US$85++.
The scheme was a fitting move at the time it was imposed as room rates then were as low as US$40, said Hiran Cooray, a veteran hotelier whose family owns the Jetwing Hotels chain.
“But it’s high time this is removed as market forces should now determine prices,” he noted.
On Monday, chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Kavan Ratnayaka announced the removal of the minimum room rates to “allow market forces to decide the room rates rather than (have) the SLTDA dictate terms to them”.
Harith Perera, president of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), welcomed the move, saying “we have always said (minimum rates) won’t work and were opposed to it.”
According to a spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), minimum rates also hindered progress in the meetings and business events sector as they were unable to get competitive rates from city hotels for delegates.
“Now with the freedom for the market to dictate rates, our MICE market can be more competitive,” she added.
Two years ago, tourism minister John Amaratunga announced that the scheme would be abolished in 2018. While this was not made official until now, some industry players told TTGmice that the government has been lax about enforcing minimum rates in recent months.
The SLCB spokesperson shared that the gazette notification enforcing the minimum rates was allowed to lapse on March 31 this year and was not renewed.
In fact, she said the SLCB had sought and won government approval for special five-star rates of US$100++ for MICE travellers and US$90 ++ for four-star accommodation.
A Colombo hotel manager added that for the past few months, city hotels have been offering their own rates. “The authorities have not been strict on the minimum rates.”
Meanwhile, managers at two three-star hotels in Colombo, who declined to be named, expressed fears of an ensuing price war due to oversupply in the city.
Over past two years, more than 600 new rooms have been injected into Colombo’s supply while several hotels including the Sheraton and Grand Hyatt are due to open in the next two years.
Next year's AIME will be different from last's (pictured)
US-based Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) has announced a two-year collaboration with Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME).
As its strategic education partner, PCMA, in collaboration with the AIME team, will design, build and deliver key components of the education programme on the first day of the event. Next year’s event is scheduled to be held in Melbourne, Australia, February 18-20, 2019.
Next year’s AIME will evolve into a different event as a series of changes are introduced; this year’s AIME pictured
Antonio Codinach, regional business director-APAC, PCMA-ICESAP, said: “With the changes happening in the region, it’s a timely opportunity for PCMA to join forces with AIME and help deepen delegates’ knowledge and help them deliver show-stopping business events. We are looking forward to helping the attendees at AIME access our industry leading educational programme, which will drive their professional and personal development, and in effect drive economic and social prosperity.”
The AIME Knowledge Programme offers event professionals a range of case studies, practical solutions and access to high-quality knowledge on cutting-edge trends.
Matt Pearce, CEO, Talk2 Media & Events (Talk2 ME), said: “Earlier this year, we announced a series of changes designed to implement the vision we have for AIME – ensuring the longevity of the event to better reflect the current state of our industry. We have also expanded the range of education sessions at the event to include both individual and industry development.”
Earlier in 2017, PCMA acquired the Singapore-based Incentive, Conference & Event Society Asia Pacific (ICESAP). Over the course of 2018, PCMA-ICESAP will have offered 12+ local education and networking events, including the 2018 PCMA ICESAP Annual Conference which is taking place in Bangkok, Thailand from November 7-9.
Team Frozen Lime Asia (from left): Pow Zhi Hoe, Aileene Thangaveloo, Serene Lam, Jagdish Sandhu, Adelina Pillai, Kenji Chen
Singapore-based Frozen Lime Asia (FLA) has been appointed GSA for Small Luxury Hotels of The World (SLH) member hotels in Asia.
Team Frozen Lime Asia (from left): Pow Zhi Hoe, Aileene Thangaveloo, Serene Lam, Jagdish Sandhu, Adelina Pillai, Kenji Chen
The specialist in revenue, distribution as well as sales & marketing for hospitality and tourism in Asia will focus on generating corporate meetings and leisure group leads for SLH member hotels from Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia.
SLH, a collection of independent hotels around the world, has over 120 hotels in its Asia-Pacific stable.
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
The five-star property excels in backing its expansive facilities with seamless service and personalised attention, setting the benchmark for luxury in Bangkok.
Triolo joins the group following an 11-year tenure with Bangkok-based Premier Resorts & Hotels where she spent the past eight years as director of sales and marketing.
