Operated by Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, the first Dhawa hotel in China has opened in Jinshanling, a two-hour-drive from Beijing.
Dhawa Jinshanling’s 200 rooms and suites are equipped with modern amenities such as Wi-Fi, widescreen TV, floor heating, and infused with cultural elements.
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Valley Rooms are inspired by traditional Chinese architecture and overlook mountainous scenery, while Courtyard Rooms are set around a large communal courtyard with outdoor seating for groups of family and friends. Heritage Rooms occupy classically styled buildings and come with semi-private courtyards or unblocked views of the Great Wall.
Amenities on-site include a lobby lounge, a snack and drink area equipped with a launderette, an all-day restaurant with three private dining rooms, a spa with seven treatment rooms, a fitness centre and a 400m2 ballroom.
A range of activities for those wanting to learn more about the Ming and Qing dynasties can also be arranged. For a more hands-on experience, guests can sign up for various craft workshops or try noodle and jam making classes.
At the PATA Travel Mart 2018 in Langkawi, The Technology Experience article by Karen Yue was recognised with the PATA Gold Award for Travel Journalism – Industry Business Article award.
This marked another achievement for a TTG publication at the annual awards of PATA, following TTG Asia Luxury’s win two years ago.
Celebrating the award in Langkawi last week were TTG Asia Media managing director Darren Ng and publisher Pierre Quek, accompanied by team members and PATA’s Mario Hardy and Macao Government Tourism Office’s Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes
Radisson Blu Resort Phu Quoc, has opened its doors on Vietnam’s Bai Dai beach, as part of an integrated resort.
Standing on Phu Quoc’s north-west coast, the property offers 514 villas, rooms and suites. Rooms start from 45m2 and goes up to the villas at 635m2.
An immense tropical lagoon pool anchors the Radisson Blu Resort Phu Quoc
The villas, along with the executive rooms, executive suites, one bedroom suites and two bedroom suite, offer access to the ALUMI executive lounge.
Aside from the lounge, other F&B establishments on-site include all-day dining restaurant Avenue which can seat 300 indoors and 100 on the poolside terrace. There is also a poolside bar and a lobby lounge.
Executive Suite
Guests will also have direct access to an adjacent complex, where facilities include a 26 treatment-room spa and wellness centre, gym, water park, convention centre, shopping centre, restaurants, theatre and Vietnam’s first casino to permit domestic entry. An amusement park, 18-hole golf course and safari conservation park are also on the resort’s doorstep.
The Radisson Blu Resort Phu Quoc is located 30km from Phu Quoc International Airport.
Gold Coast is moving forward after an unprecedented year of challenges and we’re buoyed by the continued interest and confidence from associations choosing the Gold Coast for future conferences.
With a name synonymous with white-sand beaches, stunning sunsets and turquoise oceans, the Gold Coast has long been a natural tourism magnet.
Gold Coast Cultural Precinct Stage
But the tide for corporates is clearly changing in the direction of an upswell with new products making their way to the Gold Coast, an even greater focus on meeting the needs of business travellers, and Asian incentive groups now waking up to that offering.
Definitely 2018 is a big year for incentives (for us),” said director of Gold Coast Business Events, Anna Case, reflecting on the momentum brought by the hosting of direct selling company Infinitus China in April, which saw 6,100 delegates visit. It was the Gold Coast’s biggest group ever.
“I know we’ve already got some great groups like NuSkin Korea with 550 delegates literally (confirmed) two days after hosting the Commonwealth Games (in March). And there’s another 1,100 coming from Japan in October, and a group of 1,500 from China in August. And I think (things are) just going to start surging from here.”
As Case will say, identifying incentive bookings can sometimes be a tricky business. But she believes incentive numbers have increased by a whopping 40 per cent over the previous year, their highest growth rate ever.
It tallies with the rising number of international conferences held in the Gold Coast, recognised in the latest ICCA Country and City Rankings report putting the Gold Coast at 148 globally in 2017, up from 279 the year before.
The twin achievements of gaining a 99.8 per cent satisfaction rating from Infinitus delegates and the city’s successful hosting of the Games have played no small part in putting the Gold Coast firmly on the corporate radar in the region.
Thanks to the hosting of the Games, the Gold Coast now enjoys A$320 million (US$235 million) in new sporting infrastructure, plus upgrades to arterial roads, the light rail network, new accommodation and shopping centres.
All this has helped position this destination for sports, health and wellness events. Case confirms they’ve won over 50 events now to the city, leading from 2016 to 2020, with another 19 events in pursuit.
Echoing that success is the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC), which is lobbying the government to expand its facilities by up to 50 per cent.
General manager of GCCEC, Adrienne Readings, told TTGmice that the ability to provide the right infrastructure will help arrest the lost business they are experiencing, made more with the increasing popularity of the Gold Coast.
“Enquiry rates from Asia have increased by about 200 to 300 per cent, especially from mainland China, thanks to Infinitus China,” shared Readings.
New hotel developments are also in full swing, with The Star’s A$850 million transformation into an integrated resort; Swissotel and Rydges brands to make their mark in 2019; and also a A$1 billion redevelopment of beachfront complex Jewel, which will offer five-star accommodation and a ballroom for 800.
Even Village Roadshow Theme Parks, which runs six entertainment venues, has introduced a conference centre, which Kelly She, its international sales manager, tells TTGmice has more than doubled their corporate bookings since it opened two years ago.
“We’ve seen a 10 per cent increase in bookings year-on-year for incentive groups. And Asian groups especially appreciate the exclusive experiences we can offer, like exclusive shows or exclusive time to meet our movie characters,” she continued.
Teambuilding is also proving popular although the style of activity has evolved significantly, according to Simon Piltz, Gold Coast-based account director for teambuilding company Be Challenged.
“Our growth over the last 12 months is around 57 per cent. Traditional teambuilding has definitely changed over the last 15 years and there’s a need for fresh, new ideas. The old school of thought needing three or four hours for a programme is gone,” Piltz elaborated.
“Everything today has to be jammed into a conference agenda and the one- to two-hour product is really where we’re headed. Our number one conference energiser Boomtime, which helps delegates get moving and shifts their mindset from one session to the next – without any disruption to the conference agenda – is 20 minutes and it’s flying off the shelves.”
But having the right products and infrastructure is only half the battle won, as Case will attest, and hence requires an unexpected approach to winning incentive groups.
“I just came back from China and I know they’re being courted by every destination around the world,” Case remarked.
“(But) people buy people they like, and they want to feel welcomed and part of a destination and they want to be like a local. So when we go up, we entertain, and we get everyone dancing.
“It’s a little bit out of the comfort zone but we do it with such genuine love of what we do, and I want them to feel that this is part of what they’re going to get when they come down to the Gold Coast… you’ve just got to be different and show your passion,” concluded Case.
Located in Bonifacio Global City within the tallest skyscraper in the Philippines, this is the newest luxury hotel and the first-ever Grand Hyatt in the country.
Rooms
The layout of the double room I was given was intended for business guests, where there was two of everything.
There were two separate luggage areas in the sizeable walk-in closet; two double-sized Hyatt beds with ample space in between; and two bathing areas. One had a shower stall while the other sported a shower and a tub, but each came with their own sinks, and separate toilet. There was also a circular glass table that double as a desk or dining area. Overall, the room felt spacious and relaxing.
MICE facilities
The hotel has over 2,280m2 of flexible space comprising several event venues, such as the pillarless jewellery-box inspired Grand Ballroom for 900 pax.
Clad in floor-to-ceiling glass windows which open out to an uninterrupted view of the skyline and Manila Bay sunset, the 1,190m2 ballroom also has a show kitchen; there’s even a chef who can sing and dance should you wish for a bit more flair for your event.
Instead of the usual scaffolding, the ballroom also features sky hooks or hanging points in the ceiling, where each can carry a ton of weight, meant to make the event venue more spacious.
Other meeting venues include the Grand Salon; the Apartments with a loft kitchen and beverage bar; the Garden Pavilion equipped with folding glass windows for an al fresco set up; the Penthouse; as well as seven VIP rooms in No.8 China House restaurant.
Other facilities
Recreational facilities include an outdoor pool on the 6th floor, a 24-hour fitness centre; and the Illume Spa. There are also currently six F&B venues, with one more, The Peak – described as a collision of a grill restaurant, speakeasy, whiskey bar, cabaret, and a music lounge – opening in 3Q2018.
Contact Tel (63) 2 838 1234
Email manila.grand@hyatt.com
Rooms
Contemporary elegance best describes the well-appointed spacious rooms and suites. Ranging from 45m2 to 96m2, all rooms are outfitted with the latest technology like intelligent lighting.
The deluxe room is a cocoon of luxury with a roomy bed, soft linen, feather duvet and a pillow menu. There’s also a spacious writing desk, and the marble bathroom was stocked with personal care items and plush bathrobes.
MICE facilities Meeting spaces within the hotel include the 1,650m2 Grand Ballroom for up to 1,200 pax, 780m2 junior ballroom for up to 715 pax, and 19 multifunction rooms spread over multiple floors.
Shangri-La at The Fort also has an Events Concierge for event organisers and guests. Also, the hotel’s edge is that its staff are able to meet the specifications of event organisers in terms of aesthetics, service quality and food. The frontline staff for business events have certainly improved and their confidence more apparent, unlike in the beginning when there were several hiccups not quite uncommon for a new hotel.
The hotel is also well situated, providing easy access for delegates and business travellers to surrounding tourist attractions, and Bonifacio Global City’s shops, bars, restaurants, and convention centre.
Other facilities
There are six dining concepts led by the modern-day marketplace concept of High Street Cafe. Meanwhile, Kerry Sports Manila occupies 8,000m2 and has over two floors with fitness facilities such as studios for yoga or pilates, a gym, 25-metre outdoor lap pool, and a NBA-grade indoor basketball court.
Contact
Tel (63) 2 820 0888 Email slfm@shangri-la.com
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok has appointed Jakob Yamac as director of food and beverage.
Prior to joining the hotel, Yamac was at the Address Boulevard Hotel in Dubai, in the same capacity for two years.
He is no stranger to Kempinski, as he held the position of bar manager at Kempinski Mall of Emirates in Dubai, UAE.
In total, the German has more than 10 years of experience in F&B roles under his belt. He first began his career as a bartender at the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, UAE.
The Korea Tourism Organization’s (KTO) efforts to diversify its source markets for incentive groups since 2017 are starting to bear fruit.
PTT Public Co., a global gas company based in Thailand, will be taking a large-scale incentive group to the country this year. The 1,312-strong group will visit South Korea in batches, with the first descending on the destination on September 2. The rest will continue to arrive through to December 3, 2018.
Busan is growing in popularity as an incentives destination in the country
The first batch experienced a five-day itinerary, where participants visited attractions in Seoul and Busan, such as Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Jagalchi Fish Market and Gamcheon Cultural Village in the latter destination.
Meanwhile, 941 employees of Vinamilk, Vietnam’s largest dairy producer, are slated to visit South Korea this October.
Another notable incentive group that visited South Korea was MCI Indonesia, which brought 1,143 employees over last winter.
According to KTO, the number of incentive arrivals from South-east Asia reached 139,934 in 2017, reflecting a 31.4 per cent increase from the previous year.
Chulbeom Park, director of the KTO Corporate & Incentive Team, explained that the South-east Asian focus was taken as a means to recover from dented arrivals during the Chinese arrival downturn.
Park added that KTO has plans to expand its incentive promotions in Moscow, Russia.
The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) has partnered with Marketing Challenges International (MCIntl) to grow its presence in the North American market.
MCIntl is a full-service global destination marketing firm based in New York City. They are a key marketing and sales partner connecting leading convention bureaus and convention centres to the North American meetings market.
Pryor: expanding the Centre’s in-market reach with North America
The Centre’s general manager, Alan Pryor explained in a statement: “We are excited to be working closely with MCIntl’s Managing Partners Michel Couturier and Jacqueline Hewitt, as well as their team, to expand our in-market reach and optimise our client engagement with North America.
“We have been consistently investing in the North American market to secure meetings, conventions, and incentives and are confident MCIntl’s market expertise, industry insights, and reputation for success will greatly benefit these efforts.”
Pryor continued: “This tie up with MCIntl is another important step to gain first-hand business intelligence to help us better identify relevant North American industry platforms and forums to take our business development strategy to the next level.”
Business travellers from Singapore rank Tokyo (pictured above) as their top bleisure destination
Business travellers in Singapore have rated Tokyo and Bangkok as their top business and leisure travel destinations, in a study conducted by YouGov for luggage brand Samsonite.
The Samsonite Smoother Journeys study also found that Hong Kong is Singapore’s third-favourite business destination, while London ranked third for leisure travel. Mumbai, Bangalore and Jakarta were the least popular, according to more than 500 respondents who participated in survey.
Business travellers from Singapore rank Tokyo (pictured above) as their top bleisure destination
London and Tokyo tied for the top spot among business travellers aged under 34, while Tokyo was the top choice for those between 35 and 44 years old, and those over 45 preferred Bangkok.
The SamsoniteSmoother Journeys study was undertaken to find out what drives Singapore business travellers, as well as some of the things they liked – and didn’t like.
Overall, Samsonite found that one in five (22%) of Singaporeans enjoy overseas business travel a lot, 30% like it a little, and 37% are ambivalent.
“The Smoother Journeys survey revealed some surprising insights,” said Satish Peerubandi, general manager – Samsonite Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines & IndoChina. “For starters, we were surprised to see how strongly Asian cities did. We were also happy to see that a majority enjoyed business travel, even as it has a reputation for being tough for those who travel often. Only 11% of respondents said they did not enjoy business travel, with the majority liking it for the opportunities it brings.”
The advantages of business travel
The study found that many Singapore business travellers enjoy the opportunity to visit new places (94%), leave Singapore for a short while (91%), and work in new environments (88%).
While 60% said they believe they travel “just the right amount”, many still crave for their home comforts. Being apart from family and the fear of missing out on what is happening at home topped the reasons for people disliking business travel, at 57% and 41% respectively.
How business travellers manage stress
Business travellers identified traffic jams, flight delays and airport transfers as the most significant stress creators. When it comes to things they have control over, factoring in downtime and more effective packing and luggage are essential, they said. The study found that those who enjoy business travel are also those who are more likely to undertake activities that will help alleviate stress.
Many also allow for time to go to the gym or to shop, while close to half said they like to plan time for meals with colleagues or friends.
For a significant majority, efficient and effective packing was seen as a critical method to help ease stress, while many said that having a proper bag with easy access to laptops and toiletries when passing through airport security would improve their experience.
Other key findings of the survey include:
Younger women are more likely to travel then younger men (46% vs 26%).
About half (52%) of business travellers spend an average of three to four days on business trips.
Four in five admitted to working on the plane for some part of the flight, while 35% of business travellers put their time in the skies to productive use by working either 50% of the time or more.
Looking professional while travelling for work is essential for Singapore’s business travellers. Fifty-three per cent of travellers said they wore business attire while flying either half of the time or more, of which 75% said this was because they would go straight from the airport to work meetings.
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