The MICE Dialogue on Data Protection, organised by the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS) last Thursday, has raised awareness that event companies must put in place policy guidelines and practices to safeguard the collection, retention, use and disposal of personal data.
The MICE Dialogue on Data Protection was moderated by MCI Group Asia Pacific’s Zarina Othman (far left) and featured speakers Vicki Heng Law Corporation & Barrister of Middle Temple’s Kelvin David Tan and Info- Communications Media Development Authority’s Valeriane Toon (far right)
Apart from stricter Singapore rules on Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) kicking in by September next year, the issue of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, which came into effect in May, will also impact the industry, according to speakers.
Kelvin David Tan, director, advocate and solicitor with Vicki Heng Law Corporation and Barrister of Middle Temple, said companies have to appoint a data protection officer (DPO), conduct data audits and have solutions in place to quickly rectify a data breach.
Tan advised: “Red flags will be raised if these are not in place. For companies to be compliant, as far as they are aware, they must have data consent properly spelled out, avoid excessive data collection and be careful when using third-party vendors like those providing IT services.”
Ralph Hendrich, SACEOS honorary treasurer and general manager of Koelnmesse, said the industry must take “the asking of consent every time” seriously to build trust, that the data collected is protected and the data must be deleted after the event.
On the criteria of the DPO, Tan said it did not have to be a full-time appointment, but the officer must be knowledgeable about data and data flow. “Depending on the industry, it could be the marketing head in the F&B industry or the legal officer in an IT company,” he noted.
The difference between PDPA and GDPR was addressed and attendees learnt Singapore is focusing on data protection and the EU on privacy.
Hendrich noted: “GDPR is about residency and can apply to a Singaporean living in Germany, making data portability – like who is getting it and who can use it – for EU residents complex.”
Nine influential Australians have joined Business Events Sydney as its global ambassadors, part of the BESydney Global Ambassador Program Patron.
New influential individuals in the BESydney Global Ambassador Program Patron; pictured from left are member of parliament Adam John Marshall, Australia NZ Chamber of Commerce in Japan’s Melanie Brock, Bureau of Health Information’s Carol Pollock; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (USA)’s Jim Prendergast, Carnival Australia’s Ann Sherry, and BESydney’s Lyn Lewis-Smith
Latest entrants include Melanie Brock, chair emeritus, Australia NZ Chamber of Commerce in Japan (Tokyo); Joseph Carrozzi, managing partner, Sydney, PwC Australia; Carol Pollock, chair, Bureau of Health Information; Jim Prendergast, past executive director chief operating officer, IEEE (New York); Ann Sherry, executive chairman, Carnival Australia; Gabrielle Trainor, board, Infrastructure Australia, and board of trustees Western Sydney University; Peter Osborne, managing director Asia, Blackmores International (Singapore/ Taipei); Andrew Macintosh, chairman, Acorus and AustCham Hong Kong and Macau (Hong Kong); and Chris Boshuizen, operating partner, Data Collective VC (San Francisco).
The programme now features 100 ambassadors across the New South Wales economy.
Emphasising the important role the ambassadors play in the advancement of Sydney’s economy, Bruce Baird, BESydney’s board chair said the programme has “helped secure over A$320 million (US$230 million) worth of global events that will be coming to Sydney from now up until 2026”.
He credited the achievement to the “power of networks” and the “voluntary work of BESydney’s ambassadors”.
Associations gunning for regional or global growth have been urged to adopt a tighter and more focused growth strategy, especially in a fragmented region like Asia, said experts at the ASAE’s Association Leadership Forum held in Singapore last week.
For instance, experts advised identifying target markets and taking on a localised strategy for each country.
Dom LaVigne, former director of government & public affairs – Asia Pacific/Middle East, Methanol Institute, noted that “one size does not fit all” in Asia-Pacific markets, which have “disparate” political, media and business practices; as well as political sensitivities and territories.
For example, in China, the city or municipal officials often hold more decision-making power than the larger government, and associations must consider which are the right parties and partners to approach.
The European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology has binned its “one size fits all principle” and “standalone model” in its pursuit of global expansion, shared Sven Bossu, its director of innovation.
Instead, the association has turned to strengthening partnerships with key associations in Singapore, and turned up conversations with regulatory boards and healthcare professionals in this region.
Weintraub: seeing good progress with a local market approach
Likewise, the Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) has concentrated on growing certain markets, the latest being Dubai, and is approaching each market with a unique model that caters to local needs, shared Paul Weintraub, vice president of global development and support, BICSI.
BICSI has seen good progress with this approach. Since its 2015 inauguration, the BICSI Middle East & Africa (MEA) Conference & Exhibition has tripled in size and the BICSI MEA ACE Summit has recently concluded its second successful edition.
“We’re now looking at where the next market is going to be and what products are going to be successful there. We’re reaching out to markets independently because the same model will not work everywhere,” remarked Weintraub.
He advised fellow associations to know “what the target market is demanding from you” and to tailor their products and services accordingly.
A focused approach is also crucial in establishing partnerships. Nikki Walker, vice president, global association management & consulting, MCI Group, stressed the need to select the right partners to work with.
Rather than signing on a long-term partnership, she urged related associations to co-organise specific events and symposiums, and to be open to working with third-party businesses that can help fill the gaps that associations cannot due to limited resources.
“You don’t have to be a catch-all. It’s about being selective and strategic about pursuing a certain geographical area or segment in your industry,” said Walker.
Associations gunning for regional or global growth have been urged to adopt a tighter and more focused growth strategy, especially in a fragmented region like Asia, said experts at the ASAE’s Association Leadership Forum held in Singapore last week.
For instance, experts advised identifying target markets and taking on a localised strategy for each country.
Dom LaVigne, former director of government & public affairs – Asia Pacific/Middle East, Methanol Institute, noted that “one size does not fit all” in Asia-Pacific markets, which have “disparate” political, media and business practices; as well as political sensitivities and territories.
For example, in China, the city or municipal officials often hold more decision-making power than the larger government, and associations must consider which are the right parties and partners to approach.
The European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology has binned its “one size fits all principle” and “standalone model” in its pursuit of global expansion, shared Sven Bossu, its director of innovation.
Instead, the association has turned to strengthening partnerships with key associations in Singapore, and turned up conversations with regulatory boards and healthcare professionals in this region.
Weintraub: seeing good progress with a local market approach
Likewise, the Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) has concentrated on growing certain markets, the latest being Dubai, and is approaching each market with a unique model that caters to local needs, shared Paul Weintraub, vice president of global development and support, BICSI.
BICSI has seen good progress with this approach. Since its 2015 inauguration, the BICSI Middle East & Africa (MEA) Conference & Exhibition has tripled in size and the BICSI MEA ACE Summit has recently concluded its second successful edition.
“We’re now looking at where the next market is going to be and what products are going to be successful there. We’re reaching out to markets independently because the same model will not work everywhere,” remarked Weintraub.
He advised fellow associations to know “what the target market is demanding from you” and to tailor their products and services accordingly.
A focused approach is also crucial in establishing partnerships. Nikki Walker, vice president, global association management & consulting, MCI Group, stressed the need to select the right partners to work with.
Rather than signing on a long-term partnership, she urged related associations to co-organise specific events and symposiums, and to be open to working with third-party businesses that can help fill the gaps that associations cannot due to limited resources.
“You don’t have to be a catch-all. It’s about being selective and strategic about pursuing a certain geographical area or segment in your industry,” said Walker.
Singapore industry entrepreneur and pioneer Kenny Goh has made a comeback with the establishment of MICE Neurol, an event technology company that promises to offer solutions based on five verticals, namely registration, data privacy protection, mobile app, engagement – incorporating gamification, live Q&A and feedback – and hardware rental control.
Goh: solutions will support uberisation and gamification concepts
According to Goh, the young company already has a number of government events in the bag.
Concepts such as “uberisation” and “gamification” will feature prominently in MICE Neurol’s solutions.
“Events are all about interaction and our surveys show that gamification is the ice-breaker on steroids and collecting redemptions for being on time, for example, is more fun and interesting for delegates,” he said.
As for the “uberisation” of events, Goh explained that it is the “peer-to-peer” delivery of a bespoke experience. For that to happen a platform is needed and he insists it costs next to nothing, unlike what organisers think.
Goh commented: “Three years ago it would cost about S$10,000 to S$12,000 to create an event app and it would take around two months to work. Now it can be done in six hours and our first client paid S$500 to get a taste.”
What is needed is experience, and a “fully integrated event technology company”, he pointed out.
And with the EU General Data Protection Regulation kicking in a few months back, and Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act, the events industry must get up to speed on what the law states and how data mapping and data proxies work.
Goh said “data transfer agreements” will be part of the event landscape. He also insists the entire event organising and managing process must be integrated and there cannot be many vendors.
“I see the professional organiser who is only an intermediary dying off,” he suggested.
The Reverie Saigon in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City is repositioning eight floors of its property, and is now offering 89 apartments for short stays.
The Reverie Residence, Liberty one-bedroom apartment
The apartments used to require a minimum three-night stay, but The Reverie Residence can now be booked for a single night of accommodation.
Guests of The Reverie Residence enjoy a separate entrance, lobby and lifts, 24-hour guest service, use of the Residence Lounge – which is furnished by Giorgetti and includes a private gym – and access to the hotel’s swimming pool as well as all restaurants and bars.
With this change, The Reverie has launched the Suite Dreams package. Rates start at VND 12,650,000++ (US$540) per night for a one-bedroom residential-style suite – with near half of this value being returned to guests in the form of a VND 5,750,000 daily credit (single or double occupancy).
The in-house credit can be used on a number of services, including airport transfers in luxury house cars; access to The Reverie Lounge for afternoon tea, cocktails and canapes; meals at any of The Reverie Saigon’s restaurants & bars; spa treatments; dry-cleaning and laundry services; and butler service.
Terms and conditions apply.
Suite Dreams is available for stays through February 28, 2019.
GIS Kaohsiung Asia's New Bay Area Convention Center
A vibrant line-up of business events taking place in cities outside of Taipei, Taiwan is helping to raise the profile of these destinations as interesting option for even more high-profile gatherings.
GIS Kaohsiung Asia’s New Bay Area Convention Center
An example is the Global Harbour Cities Forum on September 26 that shone the spotlight on the waterfront Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre in the Asia’s New Bay Area as well as the nearby offshore Penghu Island.
To draw even more corporate traffic to Penghu Island, MEET Taiwan is marketing the area as 2018 Most Beautiful Bays at the World Congress, as well as participate in a business exhibition that features a carnival, concert and container-park show floor.
“There are many developments and events coming up that we are excited to be a part of. For the rest of 2018, we will be promoting Taiwan’s business events following an ocean theme, encapsulating destinations like Kaohsiung’s bay and islands like Penghu,” shared Jessie Tseng, executive director of MEET Taiwan.
Over in Taichung, where the Asia MICE Forum 2018 was recently held, the industrial city will get its softer, greener side played up by the World Flora Exposition. Running from November this year to April 2019, the expo will be held in multiple new facilities across Houli, Fengyuan, Waipu and Shuinan districts. Taichung will also host the 2019 Taichung East Asian Youth Games.
Not only will these events raise the profile of the bay area and Taichung, the destinations are also getting a boost through new event venues.
Taiwan-based GIS Group has launched the GIS Taichung Wenxin Convention Center and the GIS Kaohsiung Asia’s New Bay Area Convention Center.
The former, designed by renowned Japanese architect Toyo Ito, features three meeting rooms incorporating several design concepts and glass walls.
Meanwhile, the GIS Kaohsiung Asia’s New Bay Area Convention Center boasts five differently sized meeting rooms, coupled with advanced equipment, technical support and spacious lounges.
Jason Yeh, CEO of GIS Group, said: “The MICE industry is a main part of the Asia’s New Bay Area plan. The transportation, accommodation, catering and tourism around that area form a package to attract local and foreign corporates to host their meetings and events.”
He added that clients, especially those from Taipei and Hsinchu City, have expressed the need for more business event facilities in both Taichung and Kaohsiung.
Yeh pointed out that the new convention centres were designed to cater to the rise in “non-traditional” events that are “much more casual and creative”.
He said: “We offer different sizes of conference spaces, which allow a better fit for different event requirements. Instead of having fixed meeting settings, we are very flexible so guests can design their own meeting setup according to their needs.”
Asian corporate incentive groups are appearing to gain a stronger interest in destinations in Central and Latin America, according to destination specialists who have reported a rising number of enquiries from Asian planners.
Rio Secreto
Susanne K Prenzel, director of sales and marketing of Mexico-based Epic DMC, told TTGmice that while the current Asian traffic for her company is leisure, interest in Mexico is now spreading to corporate incentive planners.
“They are drawn to Mexico’s history, culture and food,” she explained.
So strong and promising is the Asian interest that hotels in Cancun are starting to employ more Asian staff and offer Asian breakfast options, observed Prenzel.
Maria Isabel Castaneda, representative of Peru-based Milenaria Meetings and Incentives, is also seeing Asian demand extending beyond the leisure segment. In response, her company has assigned a staff to attend a tradeshow in China to get business leads.
However, enquiries from Asian corporate incentive planners have yet to be converted into confirmed bookings, with price sensitivity being the main obstacle.
Castaneda said Asian incentive planners often found tailored incentive programmes to be too pricey, preferring instead the cheaper regular leisure tour itinerary.
For Luis Herrera, senior sales manager of Panama-based Panamazing Groups & Incentives, Asian corporate bookings have materialised.
Herrera said: “Two years ago there were no Chinese MICE groups. Last year, we received a few Chinese groups as well as a few Japanese incentive groups that came on cruise ships.”
Mark Jordan, regional director of sales with tour specialist Amstar, has also started to welcome Asian incentive business in the last two years, in the form of three small but high-end Chinese groups that went to Santo Domingo, the capital of Dominican Republic.
He said: “We arranged a walking tour of the Old City and dinner at a high-end restaurant. Their tour was part of a larger Caribbean and Latin America programme.”
However, the progress – while promising – is slow for Jordan.
“I’m constantly told the Asian market is going to explode (particular South Korea, Japan and China), but I’m still waiting for that to happen. For Amstar to have a (sales) office in Beijing, there must be business there,” he said.
Still, he is keen on promoting Central and Latin America as well as the Caribbean to the Asian incentive market. Amstar is pushing the region – everything south of Mexico – as a single destination.
Jordan explained: “If you’re going to come all the way from Asia and you have the budget, you won’t want to just see one destination. A possible itinerary would be three nights in Mexico, two nights in the Dominican Republic, two nights in Jamaica, and maybe even a side trip to Cuba. This is what our vice president of sales promotes when he goes to Asian tradeshows.”
To nudge curious planners into action, Costa Rica DMC is working with the local tourism board on strategic campaigns to increase Costa Rica’s visibility in Asia, revealed Gabriela Sanchez, director of sales & marketing. As well, fam trips for Asia-based incentive agents are offered, and Sanchez said her agency would look into participating in relevant tradeshows in Asia should interest continue to grow.
Destination specialists who spoke to TTGmice explained that the growing Asian interest could have been triggered by recent improvements in air access to Central and Latin America.
Previously, travellers from Asia take almost a day at least – with lengthy transits – to get to destinations in the region. But things have changed with All Nippon Airways (ANA) commencing its first direct flight from Japan to Mexico this year. Joining that is Air China, which launched a service between Shanghai and Panama, via a two-hour Houston transit.
Prenzel believes that the new ANA service will present business opportunities beyond Japanese corporate groups, as it makes Mexico more accessible to travellers from other important Asian markets like Thailand and Hong Kong.
With improved air access, Herrera is expecting an increase of 10 to 15 per cent in Chinese incentive groups over the next two years.
Marriott International has named Juan Samso general manager of The St Regis Zhuhai.
The Spaniard was most recently general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, and prior to this held the position of hotel manager for The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong.
Samso’s hospitality career with Marriott started in 1999 as the manager of pool & beach restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. Subsequently, he rose through the ranks in various positions in Ritz-Carlton properties in Key Biscayne, Miami, Barcelona, Hong Kong and Macau, through where he gained his expertise in luxury hotel management.
The Asian hotel sector is rapidly evolving. As the regional business and leisure travel market grows, so does the level of competition from global hotel chains expanding their presence into new markets, as well as emerging local brands and boutique accommodation offerings. A hotelier’s ability to attract the right guest, at the right time, for the right price, has never been more challenging, and the need for advanced operating systems has never been greater. But what are the technologies that will actually add value to a hotelier’s business today? What are the market trends supporting travel industry growth, and what systems exist to help target these opportunities in the future?
To further hoteliers own understanding of industry and technology trends, IDeaS Revenue Solutions, the leading provider of revenue management software and advisory services, together with hospitality innovation leader Hotel ICON, staged a pivotal hotel technology summit. The sold-out event, called HOTECH 2020, attracted over 300 hotel executives from Hong Kong and across Asia to discuss the outlook for the regional hotel sector and the role of technology in sales, marketing and revenue disciplines.
“Many hotels across the APAC region are incorporating new technologies into their business. From chatbot concierge services to property specific apps, hoteliers are constantly looking at ways to enhance guest experiences,” said Richard Hatter, general manager Hotel ICON & adjunct associate professor at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management Hotel ICON & The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. “HOTECH 2020 was a vitally important summit that promoted a message of hotel executives not only needing a working knowledge of common operational technology platforms, but also an understanding of how new solutions like AI and machine learning will disrupt the industry into the future. The hotel sector is still a ‘people and service business’. Technology needs to be employed correctly to furnish us with the right data to make the right decisions as well as delight our guests and win their return business.”
HOTECH 2020 featured top industry keynote speakers, such as Ephraim Lam from Facebook and hospitality digital marketing expert Anthony Yiu, along with multiple industry panel discussions, which featured market leaders from organisations such as Oracle, Expedia Group, YMCA, The Ascott and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Discussions at the event covered topics such as consumer trends in the online travel market, operational technology advancements, disruptions in travel distribution, revenue management and AI in the hotel sector.
Ting Huang, research analyst for Euromonitor International, spoke at HOTEH 2020 about exploring the future of online travel. She discussed the state of the regional travel market and how the future of travel would be increasingly shaped online and via mobile channels.
“The opportunities for the Asian hotel sector are significant. Today, the regional travel market is worth USD $843 billion and makes up 35 per cent of the total global travel sector. However, what is key for Asian hoteliers is that a growing portion of their guests will come from within Asia Pacific, and China will account for half of this market. Therefore, it is vital that hoteliers understand what motivates and attracts in-region travellers to choose one hotel property over another, particularly in relation to online influences and mobile booking preferences,” said Huang.
“Authentic interaction with future guests must be relevant and linked to the demographic’s expectations as shaped by their consumer behaviours on platforms such as Facebook and Wechat. For instance, hoteliers looking to target millennial travellers could learn from AirAsia’s recent partnership with the mobile dating app Tinder for their ‘Meet Malaysia’ campaign. This campaign leveraged the popularity of the dating platform with younger travellers to show off the best aspects of Malaysia, encouraging individuals to swipe right and ‘match’ with the destination.”
What people say about a hotel online today not only impacts consumer perceptions of a property but can also directly influence its future financial performance. Rachel Grier, area managing director Asia Pacific for IDeaS, presented on this topic at HOTECH 2020.
“Online review sites and social media platforms were once relegated to the periphery of a revenue management strategy and handled exclusively by the public or guest relations department,” said Grier. “Recent Cornell research found a correlation between reputation scores and average rates. In the study, a one per cent uplift in reputation score led to an increase of 0.89 per cent in ADR and 0.5 per cent in occupancy. These numbers are significant.”
“In today’s digital ecosystem, hotel guests have more buying power than ever before. To not only survive but thrive in such a challenging environment going forward, it is vital that hoteliers ensure they deliver on the ‘seven Ps of marketing and revenue’. This means not only ensuring your product (property) is as strong as it can be, but also generating the right promotions, in the right place, for the right price, targeting the right people, using the right proof points and following the correct processes,” continued Grier. “It is the revenue department that has access to the data that will enable marketing and sales to make better, more profitable and strategic decisions. Collaboration across these departments is essential as we move toward 2020.”
A key theme of discussion at HOTECH 2020 centred on the role AI would have on the industry. Dennis Leung from the SAS Institute directly addressed this topic in his presentation.
“What hotels throughout Asia need to embrace is that AI is not a distant opportunity for their industry. It is already here,” said Leung. “After all, hotels first began introducing automated decisions to the world of hotel revenue management nearly 30 years ago. Today an AI driven customer journey can help maximise ‘pre-trip’ conversion through customer journey targeting, omni-channel engagement and lead nurturing. The technology can assist hoteliers ‘on-trip’ through maximising basket value and guest satisfaction through real-time offers such as location or activity-based discounts. Finally, hoteliers can use AI to help drive customer loyalty ‘post-trip’ through generating guest feedback for future targeting and developing personalised loyalty offers.”
Panel discussions at HOTECH 2020 also looked at more practical issues around integrating new technologies into legacy hotel operating systems and how hotel executives themselves can upgrade their own capabilities to operate in an age of advanced automation.
“It is more important than ever for hoteliers to stay updated on the fast-moving trends across various demographics, trip types and booking behaviours,” said Boon Sian Chai, senior director of market management, Expedia Group. “Equally so, having a working knowledge of the tools and technologies we will all need to fulfil our roles successfully in the future is of critical importance.”
About IDeaS
With more than 1.6 million rooms priced daily on its advanced systems, IDeaS Revenue Solutions leads the industry with the latest revenue management software and advisory services. Powered by SAS® and with nearly three decades of experience, IDeaS proudly supports more than 10,000 clients in 124 countries and is relentless about providing hoteliers with insightful ways to manage the data behind hotel pricing.
IDeaS empowers clients to build and maintain revenue management cultures—from single entities to world-renowned estates—by focusing on a simple promise: Driving Better Revenue.
IDeaS has the knowledge, expertise and maturity to build upon proven revenue management principles with next-generation analytics for more user-friendly, insightful and profitable revenue opportunities—not just for rooms, but across the entire hotel enterprise. For more information, visit www.ideas.com.
About Hotel ICON
Unlike any other, Hotel ICON is an upscale Hong Kong hotel in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui East. Standing as a testament to Hong Kong’s creative energy and vibrant arts scene, Hotel ICON showcases work from the city’s celebrated designers and the world’s most acclaimed architects. Offering the ultimate in comfort and committed to service excellence, Hotel ICON’s 262 stylish guestrooms comprise seductive extras, including complimentary wired and Wi-Fi internet connections, smartphone with unlimited mobile data and an ultra-slim 40” Ultra High Definition LED TV. Located on level 9, Hotel ICON’s Angsana Spa is a tranquil oasis while the harbour-facing outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre allow guests to exercise while enjoying views of Hong Kong Island’s spectacular skyline.
With a maximum capacity of 580 persons, Hotel ICON’s grand Silverbox ballroom is the ideal venue for a celebration or theatre-style conference. Hotel ICON houses three restaurants: Above & Beyond, The Market and GREEN, providing guests with exceptional quality of the food and impeccable service. wallpaper* magazine included Hotel ICON in its 2011 list of the world’s Best Business Hotels and DestinAsian included the hotel in its Luxe List 2011. The premier hotel has also won in 2 categories including the Top 25 Hotels in Asia in the 2017 TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Awards. Join us by following our official social media accounts at @hoteliconhk and share your memorable moments with us by using the hashtag #hoteliconhk.
The newly-opened Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok anchors the One Bangkok development with cosmopolitan elegance. Featuring the city's largest ballroom and a spectacular new penthouse suite, it delivers exceptional hardware and deeply authentic, soulful service for business and leisure travellers alike
Behind the imposing, Brutalist concrete that defines Zurich’s Oerlikon district lies a surprising secret. While its exterior honours the neighbourhood’s industrial roots, stepping inside Mama Shelter reveals a vibrant, neon-soaked world that is a far cry from its rigid shell
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
