Located at Ocean Park Hong Kong and just minutes from the city, Marriott’s first-ever city resort hotel has opened with 471 keys.
Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel is split into three towers – The Pier Wing, Marina Wing and Club Wing. All guestrooms, spread across three categories, are located in The Pier Wing and Marina Wing. The Club Wing houses the executive M Club, which is scheduled to open early next year.
Event planners can avail Hong Kong island’s largest pillar-less ballroom – at 1,200m2 – and five other meeting spaces.
There are four restaurants on-site: The Pier Lounge and Bar for modern dining and cocktails; Marina Kitchen, an all-day dining and international buffet featuring live cooking stations; Canton Bistro for Cantonese specialties; and the Prohibition Grill House & Cocktail Bar for an American steakhouse concept.
Recreational amenities on-site include a large lagoon pool, gym, and Harnn Heritage Spa.
Hotel guests are also entitled to exclusive Ocean Park benefits, such as special opening and seasonal offers.
A staggering eighty two per cent of more than 200 respondents from around the world, mostly women, who participated in the Women in the exhibitions industry research, conducted by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, and its media partner m+a, claimed to be happy with their jobs in the exhibition industry.
Results of the Women in the exhibitions industry research was unveiled at the 85th UFI Global Congress in St. Petersburg
Results of the study, which aims to provide insights into the perception of women’s and men’s skills in the workplace, the potential for advancement for women within the industry and details of the different female career drivers, was released at the 85th UFI Global Congress in St. Petersburg, Russia this week.
Good communication skills, empathy and strong organisational skills are among the many soft skills held by women and valued by the exhibitions industry
The study found that women were identified as having soft skills such as good communication skills and empathy. Women were also judged as having strong organisational skills, with the capacity to multi-task. Despite these soft skills, women lagged behind men when it came to networking.
Meanwhile, all respondents, both women and men, assigned self-confidence, technical know-how and power-related skills to men.
A darker discovery of the study was that more than half of the female respondents did not feel treated equally in terms of salary and career opportunities, and more than one third felt that they were held back from having more responsibility.
Most of the respondents felt that the industry would benefit from more female leaders and 61 per cent already see active support for women, although only 49 per cent think that quotas are the way to go.
Women, contrarily to men, often have to choose between their career and private life, which is also seen as one of the major negative career factors, with career breaks taken due to maternity leave (78 per cent) and institutional discrimination (68 per cent).
Gwen Kaufmann of Deutscher Fachverlag (Germany) who led the project, said in a press statement: “Women clearly make up the majority of the workforce in the trade fair industry, but they only represent a minority of the leadership. Both men and women agree that women can deliver diversity with a more creative approach when it comes to solving problems, helping the industry to prosper.”
Sonia Thomas, UFI’s COO, added: “Men and women have different skills, and are complementary, so the optimum is a mix of both sexes. We all must consider how to increase female representation at the senior level by making the path to the top a little easier for women.”
UFI will continue to work on the topic following the initial release of the research results. The full result can be downloaded at www.ufi.org/research.
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.
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.
