Shane Christopher Ingram has been appointed as hotel manager for Hilton Garden Inn Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman North and Hilton Garden Inn Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman South.
Ingram most recently served as director of operations at Hilton Colombo Sri Lanka, where he began his hospitality career with, working in various departments such as housekeeping, the executive floor and the front office.
The 28-year hospitality veteran went on to hold various positions in Hilton, locally and internationally, such as a revenue manager in Hilton Colombo Sri Lanka, and later in Hilton Petaling Jaya as the director of business development and director of operations.
Buoyed by bookings of its traditional venues, first made available for business events in 2016, Tokyo is focusing on promotion of these venues and the addition of new ones in 2018.
Incentive visitors to Japan doubled year-on-year in 2017, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and, as unique venues are an important consideration for incentive groups, Tokyo hopes to entice more business with its efforts.
Akasaka Palace by Kakidai
The largest growth in 2017 over 2016 was from China and Singapore, which brought double the number of group – as well as larger groups. Globally, the peak season for incentive travel to Japan is October and November, but March is also popular among South-east Asian countries due to the cherry blossom season.
Venues in demand usually offer a unique experience, showcasing Japanese culture, tradition or way of life.
They include one of Japan’s most revered buildings, Akasaka Palace, which provides accommodation for official guests of the Japanese government, as well as the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Edo-Tokyo Open-air Architectural Museum, Nogi Shrine and Daikyo Temple.
More sites are being made available regularly. Following the success of an inaugural business event at Tokyo’s 300-year-old Hamarikyu Gardens in 2017, the site became popular as a unique venue in 2018.
The garden, which once belonged to Japan’s most powerful samurai lord, is “a perfect location for evening parties and drink receptions,” thanks to its location among many of the city’s four- and five-star hotels.
According to Hironobu Fujimura, director of sales on the business events team at Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB), the TCVB and Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) see maximising Tokyo’s distinctive venues as key to bringing more business events to the capital. And expectations of incentive buyers are high.
“Year after year, the needs of the parties at such exceptional venues are increasing, especially for the incentive travel market. They always need the ‘Wow’ factor and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for their attendees,” explained Fujimura.
In response, the TCVB launched a booklet, Tokyo: More Ideas for Meetings & Incentives, in November 2017. It divides incentive opportunities in the capital into five areas: CSR, culture, teamwork, enterprise and technology, while offering Tokyo as a city in which to connect, learn and contribute.
Incentive groups can engage in a wide range of activities, from pruning bonsai trees with a world-famous expert and doing yoga in a temple. On offer are also visits to successful Japanese companies for learning opportunities or for a sneak preview of cutting-edge technology.
“Increasingly, incentive groups visit Tokyo to gain insight that they can apply to their own companies,” said Fujimura, adding that the five topics covered are those that the TCVB get the most enquiries about.
TCVB also launched a new website to introduce areas in Tokyo that are convenient for business events planners due to their concentration of venues, hotels, restaurants and shops. According to the website, Roppongi is a popular option because its “luxury hotels and unique venues are perfect for holding incentive events”.
Building on this, the TCVB and TMG launched a Unique Venue Service Center in May 2018, to encourage the use of unique venues in Tokyo.
Staff at the centre, near Shinjuku, will introduce designated unique venue facilities, propose event plans, provide coordination support with appropriate administrative agencies required for running events in these spaces, and provide information about venue operators, catering and other services.
Meanwhile, JNTO is continuing to host the Japan Best Incentive Awards to recognise and share best practice in incentive travel.
“One of last year’s attendees presented a tour in which teambuilding activities for a group of 360 participants included tasting unrefined sake in a sake brewing workshop, and a kimono photo competition using Instagram, which landed them the Best Creative Planning Award,” shared Etsuko Kawasaki, executive director of the JNTO.
New openings in recent months are making options for incentive planners more plentiful. They include luxury shopping complex Ginza Six, which has more than 10 high-end restaurants, a banquet hall, a 480-seat Noh Theater and a 4,000m2 rooftop garden.
With Japan hosting the Rugby World Cup and G20 Summit in 2019 as well as the Olympic and Paralympics in 2020, a host of new venues, products and experiences are expected to be launched in Tokyo. The capital’s business events market is also getting ready for the likely rise in demand.
According to Kawasaki, JNTO has already received some enquiries from event professionals who aim to organise meetings related to these global events.
The first Kempinski in Singapore will be opening its doors to guests for stays from October 1, 2018.
Located in the downtown Civic and Cultural District stands the The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, part of Capitol Singapore which comprises a 39-unit residential tower, a retail mall, and the Capitol Theatre.
Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore
1 of 10
Heritage Suite Living Room
Heritage Suite Bathroom
Bidwell Suite
Grand Deluxe Room
View from Terrace Room
Saltwater pool
The Bar
Exterior
Walkway
Capitol Theatre
The hotel offers 157 guestrooms and suites, spanning almost 50 unique configurations as the building. In all eight room categories however, guests can expect regular mod-cons such as a Sonos audio system, complimentary Wi-Fi, complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, and a generous work desk area. For suite guests, a stay includes complimentary daily breakfast.
For meetings and events, the property offers event spaces ranging from the Private Room, good for 12 guests, to the Salon, which can hold 220 pax theatre-style.
Other facilities include a spa, gym, and saltwater pool. The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore will also have several F&B offerings in the months to come, anchored by its signature restaurant that has been conceptualised by a three-Michelin-star chef.
Myanmar is rising in popularity as an incentive destination for Dhammayangyi Temple in Bagan pictured
Longhaul demand for Asian incentive holidays is spreading beyond the usual favourites to destinations such as Vietnam and Myanmar, according to buyers at IT&CM Asia.
Ben Gosman, managing director of Netherlands-based FreeStyle Incentives, said Vietnam is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to the long-popular Thailand.
Myanmar is rising in popularity as an incentive destination for buyers from Europe; Dhammayangyi Temple in Bagan pictured
“The euro is weak compared to the dollar. It used to be at 1.5 dollar per euro, now it’s 1.1 – we lost 40 per cent,” he said. “Compared to the Thai baht we also lost 40 per cent in the last three years. With the euro down, Thailand gets more expensive, and Vietnam becomes very, very attractive.”
In Vietnam, Phu Quoc is an emerging destination for Gosman although mass tourism and construction on this island are becoming growing concerns.
This is also one of the reasons behind the change in FreeStyle Incentives’ Thailand programmes in recent years, with Hua Hin now offered as the beach leg in place of Phuket and Koh Samui.
“We used to offer Phuket and Koh Samui, but two or three years ago, we cut those out. It saves us a flight, and these areas are too crowded. We try to stay away from mainstream destinations.”
Meanwhile, Vietnam and Myanmar are also rising in popularity at Italy’s Ita Events, although Thailand remains the main South-east Asian destination for incentive tours, said Sandro Saccocio, senior project manager.
“Clients like South-east Asia for the food experience. They also like to (get hands on), so local cultural activities such as painting, fruit sculpting and weaving keep clients interested,” he said.
Udo Landow from Show D’Vision Germany is on the lookout for destinations with the “wow appeal”. He added: “In Malaysia, we look for lesser-known islands that are not so commercialised but have good convention facilities to support corporate groups.”
Nevertheless, classic destinations like Bali and Bangkok still rank highly on meeting and incentive planners’ radar.
“I am interested particularly in Bali because there is a new flight that will directly connect with (Moscow). I am also exploring Phuket and Pattaya to see if there are new hotels and activities for me to bring incentives and meetings over.” – additional reporting by Paige Lee Pei Qi
Kiyono Satoshi, JNTO's president, addressing the crowd the opening ceremony, where making Japan appealing for learning was noted
A rising number of unique learning opportunities for business groups is stimulating interest in Japan as an international business events destination.
Industry officials and corporate buyers at Visit Japan Travel & MICE Mart, held over 20-22 September at Tokyo’s Big Site, shared that the country is increasingly seen as a place where corporate visitors can grow professionally.
JNTO’s president Satoshi Seino addressing the crowd at VJTM’s 2018 opening ceremony, where the making of Japan appealing for learning was highlighted. Photo credit: Kathryn Wortley
According to Etsuko Kawasaki, executive director of the Japan Convention and Visitors Bureau, a 2016 study on why people chose Japan as a business events destination shows that the ability to “gain flashes of insight”, and its location as a place “where knowledge and talent meet”, were two of the top responses. Others were its safe, clean cites and track record in providing quality experiences.
In 2018, Japan is adding more centres for learning to its portfolio of unique venues, including Yamagata Museum of Art, which opened in February 2018, and Aichi Museum of Flight, which showcases airplanes made in Japan.
Officials are hopeful that these venues will be successful, due to the growing number of business visitors to other museums nationwide.
For example, the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology in Aichi Prefecture welcomed 460,000 visitors in 2017, up from 420,000 in 2016. About 20 per cent of visitors were from overseas, from companies in South-east Asia that are Japan-owned.
Toshihide Narita, deputy director and curator of the museum, said South-east Asia is a growing market for the museum because more Japanese companies are establishing operations there and want their staff to have an understanding of Japanese industry and technology. The museum tour is usually part of their staff training.
“Our museum promotes the spirit of studiousness and creativity,” he said, adding that it “shows how challenges have been overcome through R&D”.
Meanwhile, Tokyo-based tour operator Hanatour Japan began offering tours of hospitals for business groups from the Philippines in March 2018. According to Lo King Yin of the company’s international business department, most attendees are doctors or nurses seeking first-hand insight into Japan’s medical practices and hospital management.
From left: National Oilwell Varco's Kishore Rames; Eli Lilly and Company's Rajesh Gupta; Accenture's Manjunath Shetty; Japan Airlines's Derek Ho; and CWT Asia Pacific's Michael Valkevich
In the face of rising airfares and room costs, travel managers are turning to consolidators and digital tools to tighten corporate travel spend, revealed speakers at the CTW Asia-Pacific Keynote and Forum, part of IT&CM Asia.
Airfare prices are expected to rise by an average of 3.2 per cent and room rates by 5.1 per cent per annum, shared Michael Valkevich, vice-president global sales and programme management, Asia Pacific, Carlson Wagonlit Travel.
From left: National Oilwell Varco’s Kishore Rames; Eli Lilly and Company’s Rajesh Gupta; Accenture’s Manjunath Shetty; Japan Airlines’s Derek Ho; and CWT Asia Pacific’s Michael Valkevich
In response, companies such as Accenture are looking at “new and innovative ways to negotiate and tweak policies to optimise” internal spending, said Manjunath Shetty, its associate manager – travel management.
For example, the company is working with its consolidator to achieve better hotel prices, such as negotiating for a city rate on hotels within certain geographical parameters, as well as funnelling all corporate travel claims to a single TMC or booking tool for successful reimbursement. It has also mandated the lowest airfare available for a route, but allow separate baggage add-ons.
Rajesh Gupta, consultant – global travel and meeting services for Eli Lilly and Company India, said his company has implemented technological solutions such as Yapta’s Room IQ and Fare IQ to control flight and room spend.
Tightening measures are also in place for the booking of sharing economy and other standalone accommodation, as cheaper options surface with the rise of Airbnb and independent boutique hotels.
“We do take bookings for standalone properties, but with caution. The first level of auditing is done by our consolidator based on our given parameters. We zero in on a few (accommodations) and leverage our global security teams to conduct hidden random audits for safety, especially for our female employees,” explained Shetty.
Meanwhile, other companies like National Oilwell Varco are remaining strictly against shared or gig economy spend “due to security and safety” concerns, said Kishore Rames, its travel manager Asia Pacific.
Iwate Prefecture’s Kamaishi, which was devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011, is looking towards the business events market as part of its ongoing recovery.
In the port town, where 30 per cent of homes and 60 per cent of businesses were damaged or destroyed, facilities for meetings and activities for incentive groups are rising in attractiveness.
For example, Cosmos Park – a repurposed municipal park that housed the homeless following the disaster – was transformed from an old factory and wasteland into a play park, garden, activity centre and restaurant. The facility now welcomes about 10 incentive groups, numbering 20 pax each, per year.
“Our pizza-making experience is our most popular experience because it’s a great teambuilding activity that connects people and nature; some members pick the tomatoes from the garden, while others tend to our on-site pizza oven,” shared owner Satoru Fuji.
Meanwhile, Osaki 100 Nengakusha, a local organisation aiming to preserve nature, culture and fishing jobs in the area for 100 years, set up eco tours to showcase the coexistence of people and the marine environment. The fishing boat ride around the bay, barbecue lunch of oysters – which were wiped out in 2011 – and beach litter pick package has attracted repeat incentive groups, mostly from Tokyo and Taiwan.
“Participants enjoy eating fresh seafood with views of the ocean it came from, and giving back to the community,” said tour leader Shinya Kubo.
As well, Tetto or Kamaishi Civic Hall opened in April 2018, complete with two halls, a gallery, seven meeting rooms, three studios, two Japanese tatami mat rooms, and a lobby suitable for indoor and outdoor events. Next door, the newly-opened Pit boasts a stage and standing or seating suitable for product launches, shows and conferences.
The Ryokan Yakume also added banquet and meeting rooms for business groups as part of its refurbishment of its first and second floors, which were inundated by the tsunami.
As Kamaishi is a host town of the Rugby World Cup 2019, facility and activity providers are expecting further growth, as corporate groups add local activities to their fixtures’ corporate hospitality packages.
The Philippine peso is feeling the heat from the rising greenback
As the Philippine currency sinks in value to 54.1 pesos against the greenback – the weakest in nearly 13 years and eight per cent lower than at the start of the year – the business events sector is rethinking its strategies, and reining in outbound travel in favour of domestic and shorthaul destinations.
Angel Ramos Bognot, owner of Afro Asian World Events, said the peso’s reduced value has already spelt “disaster” for outbound business.
The Philippine peso is feeling the heat from the rising greenback
“Travellers are spending more and their money is of less value, which will result in delays or suspensions of their international trips, and they may opt to hold MICE domestically.”
For those going ahead with MICE abroad, “a shorthaul trip is advised as it’s more affordable”, Bognot pointed out.
Since this year, Canon Marketing Philippines has been limiting overseas trips in favour of rewarding its champions with local trips or a combination of domestic meetings, cash incentives, and non-cash products like raffling off luxury cars and Rolex watches.
With the peso’s depreciation, a trip abroad would exceed the company’s “fixed budget”, so Canon would opt for a domestic trip or host a business meeting locally combined with other perks, said Grace Obeya, sales and marketing manager, consumable group, consumer systems products division.
Such flexibility will enable the company to “still attain business objectives” although foreign trips combining business and relaxation are still booked in cases of special events, such as the launch of a new product or prototype, Obeya said.
While Tradewings Tours and Travel Corp has yet to experience any direct impacts of a weaker peso, general manager Feliz Axalan expects “to minimise our margins” for MICE business in 2019 when bids are awarded around October to November this year.
The effects of the peso’s depreciation will likely be more acutely felt next year, he added.
Furthermore, Axalan expressed worries about outbound demand next year not only due to exchange rate fluctuation – with some experts predicting a further drop to 55 pesos to the US dollar by year-end – but also the impending hike in fuel surcharge for airlines and the general election next May.
On the other hand, industry players expect the peso’s depreciation will make the Philippines a more attractive destination for inbound business.
“However, there is a negative impression overseas on the economic perspective of the country, linking the weak peso with high prices and instability in commodity pricing,” Bognot said.
Come 2019, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) will launch a new masterplan for several MICE cities in the country to focus more on their designation management, marketing and development.
The city profiles of Chiang Rai, Udon Thani, Phitsanulok, Songkhla, Surat Thani, Phetchaburi-Hua Hin-Cha-am and Nakhon Ratchasima have already been studied, according to Supawan Teerarat, senior vice president, strategic business development & innovation with TCEB.
Chiang Mai (pictured) has now allocated a budget to run MICE-related activities every year
The bureau will be “setting up a meeting and public hearing with private and public stakeholders in each of these cities” to assist them in the upgrading to become MICE-ready, Supawan revealed.
The strategy to increase the number of MICE-designated cities will be based on their level of readiness. There will be three classifications: International MICE City, Regional MICE City and Domestic MICE City.
Said Supawan: “Our goal is to groom them all to become International MICE Cities.”
When asked for an update on the five designated MICE cities, Supawan shared: “We are proud to say that after more than five years of engaging with these cities, they now understand how the MICE sector generates revenue to the destination, and some cities – Chiang Mai and Phuket – have included MICE activities in their strategic plan.
“For instance, Chiang Mai has allocated a budget to run MICE activities every year, and we are hoping other cities follow suit as this will confirm their long-term commitment to the MICE industry and TCEB.”
Last year, Chiang Mai welcomed 50,881 business events visitors, which generated a revenue of 4.7 billion baht (US$144 million). Meanwhile, the domestic market brought in 2.1 million visitors and generated 4.9 billion baht in revenue.
As Thailand is gifted with diverse destinations offering myriad attractions and strengths, TCEB hopes to designate more cities for business events. Aside from the aforementioned cities, others being assessed include Rayong and Prachuab Khiri Khan.
“Three more cities will be looked at next year – Ubon Ratchani, Nakorn Srithammarat and Kanchanaburi,” added Supawan. – additional reporting by Rachel AJ Lee
It’s all well in Sapporo (pictured) as the cities quickly recover from the recent space of natural disasters
Several Japanese convention and tourism bureaus that participated at last week’s IT&CM Asia have reported that there has been a minimal impact from the business events sector despite being on the receiving end of a typhoon (September 4) and earthquake (September 14).
Asako Shiomi, deputy manager, Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, told TTGmice: “We did not receive many cancellations from the business events groups, most simply rescheduled their visit.”
It’s all well in Sapporo (pictured) as it quickly recovers from the recent spate of natural disasters
For instance, one group from the Philippines was supposed to arrive on September 5 but they have rescheduled to the end of this month. There is another 100 pax group scheduled to visit in October.
Shiomi’s concern however, was regarding the bid for association meetings that usually took place years later.
“The event may take place four years later, but they have to make the decision now. This will need extra efforts from our side to convince organisers to choose our destination,” she shared.
Ayako Kurosawa, incentive coordinator, of Sapporo Convention Bureau, reinforced the fact that Sapporo is operating normally shortly after the earthquake which caused a city-wide blackout. Moreover, the bridge between the airport and downtown has also been repaired.
Kurosawa said: “There was a group of about 70 participants from Indonesia scheduled to arrive two days after the earthquake. We suggested to postpone, but they decided to cancel and chose another destination instead. However, another group from China of about 400 people, have decided to postpone the trip for a month.”
For Junichi Kito, senior manager business development, JTB Thailand, he said that the company lost a significant chunk of business due to the natural disasters.
He said: “Apart from the damage caused, the Kansai Airport was closed. Now that the airport is back in operation and is operating at 50 per cent, we are expecting business to pick up again.”
What the destination needs now, according to Kito, was support from the prefectures to keep on with the accurate updates and continue promoting their destinations to clients.
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