Walk in Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po and Shek Kip Mei Tour

September 6, 2018

SSP1 — A walk through one of the world’s densely populated areas

A walk through one of the world’s densely populated areas

Concept
The three-hour walking tour set off from Sham Shui Po MTR station in the morning. As a local, I love going to Sham Shui Po to shop and dine, but my knowledge is confined to the Golden Computer Shopping Center and Apliu Street. This time, as I’m on a small private group tour with Chan and our retiree tour guide William Ip, I hope to learn more about the area both historically and culturally.

The itinerary was rather long, and covers Mei Ho House Museum (the first public housing in Hong Kong in 1950s), Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC; a former industrial building transformed into a hub of arts and creativity), Pei Ho Street and Tai Po Road junction, Kung Wo Soy Bean Product Shop, Apliu Street Market, and handcraft & lifestyle stores on Tai Nan Street.

What fascinated me the most was that the area is home to a tapestry of trade, ranging from pawn shops to umbrella repair, to toy shops and places selling audio equipment.

During my tour, I also had the opportunity to interact with an artist in JCCAC, and I was looking forward to meeting Snake Queen Chow. But she wasn’t around when we traipsed through the Shia Wong Hip Snake Soup store. The staff were kind enough to allow us a peep, where we saw live snakes in cages as well as bottles of snake wine. I hope to revisit next time, as the tour guarantees guests an unforgettable experience to take a photo with the shop’s pet snake Kitty.

Our final stop surprised me, as the shops and building in Sham Shui Po have received a facelift courtesy of HKwalls graffiti; a Hong Kong-based street art group that invited a group of local and international graffiti artists to leave their mark.

MICE application
Private tours are available upon request, and this allows for more insightful knowledge and interaction.

Prices start from HK$1,800 (US$230), and a minimum of two pax are needed. Maximum group sizes stand at 18. If there’s a bigger corporate group, for example up to 200 pax, the company can arrange for multiple guides to be present.

It is also better to do the tour in the morning, when the areas are less busy and crowded. Also, it is better to walk the city during autumn or winter, as it is not too hot or rainy.

Service
There is no better way to explore the city than on foot, to soak in the ambience and rub shoulders with the locals. My knowledgeable local tour guide made a huge difference as he could easily respond to my burning questions.

Contact
Tel: (852) 55114839
Website: walkin.hk
Email: pcychan@walkin.hk

Beyond Asia: Grand Hyatt Athens, World Routes 2020, and Nigerian Food Event

By TTGmice

September 6, 2018

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Grand Hyatt sets up shop in Greece
Hyatt Hotels has opened the Grand Hyatt Athens in the Greek capital. It is the first Grand Hyatt-branded hotel in the country.

The hotel features 309 guestrooms, of which 38 are suites. For events and functions, Grand Hyatt Athens boasts almost 2,000m2 of flexible space comprising seven multi-functional meeting areas that can accommodate up to 1,000 guests.

Dining options on-site include the rooftop restaurant which offers Mediterranean cuisine, and a lounge-style restaurant in the lobby offering patisserie selections, salads and sandwiches.

Meanwhile, recreational facilities include an outdoor swimming pool on the rooftop, and a wellness centre – which boasts four private treatment rooms, an indoor heated swimming pool and a sauna. A hammam (Turkish bath) will open early 2019.

The luxury property is located on Syngrou Avenue next to the Onassis Cultural Centre. It is within walking distance of the old town of Plaka and the historical Acropolis site.

Milan to host World Routes 2020
Milan has been chosen as the host destination for the 26th World Route Development Forum. The major aviation industry event is slated to take place from September 5-8, 2020.

SEA, the group responsible for managing Milano Malpensa and Milano Linate airports, has won the bid for World Routes 2020 on behalf of Milan and the Lombardy region.

World Routes moves from city to city every year to highlight different international aviation markets. It serves as the ultimate event for airlines, airports, tourism officials and suppliers. The three-day gathering grants opportunities for senior decision makers to meet face-to-face and discuss the future of air services, develop and plan network strategy and explore new route opportunities.

Afrocet Montgomery launches NFE
Lagos, Nigeria will see a new B2B exhibition and conference organised by global leaders in food, drink and hospitality exhibitions, and with the largest food technology trade show in the region, Afrocet Montgomery.

The inaugural edition of the Nigerian Food Event (NFE) is set to take place in Lagos from October 22-24, 2019 at the Landmark Centre on Victoria Island.

NFE will not only cater to businesses operating within the food industry, but with the inclusion of two other exhibitions, the Nigerian Drink Event and the Nigerian Hospitality Event, it will also cover beverage and hospitality.

Bangkok’s Sukhumvit home to a new Somerset serviced residence

By TTGmice

September 6, 2018

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CapitaLand’s wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited has opened the brand-new Somerset Maison Asoke Bangkok, which will officially welcome its first guest on September 28, 2018.

The property features 125 keys comprising studio and one-bedroom serviced apartments. On-site facilities include a fully-equipped gym, a heated swimming pool, sky garden, and a restaurant.

Somerset Maison Asoke Bangkok is located at Asoke, the heart of Sukhumvit’s central business district with the Asoke BTS skytrain and Sukhumvit MRT stations just steps away, and shopping malls like Terminal 21 nearby.

Bookings are now open.

Mark Kobayashi now SVP sales and marketing at The Peninsula Hotels

By TTGmice

September 5, 2018

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The Peninsula Hotels has appointed Mark K Kobayashi as senior vice president, sales and marketing.

Reporting to the COO in his new role, Kobayashi will be responsible for global marketing, sales, revenue, brand marketing, communications, e-commerce, digital marketing, guest engagement, global guest database management and the global customer service centre.

Kobayashi began his career with The Peninsula Hotels in October 2006 when he joined The Peninsula Tokyo as director of public relations. He was then promoted to regional director of communications, Japan, in 2012. Three years after, he became director of marketing, Japan.

Later in March 2017, he relocated to Hong Kong where he held the post of vice president, marketing, The Peninsula Hotels.

GM announced for Hotel Okura Manila ahead of opening

By TTGmice

September 5, 2018

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Okura Hotels & Resorts has appointed Jan Marshall as general manager of the 170-room Hotel Okura Manila, which is slated to open in 1Q2019 within the Manila Resorts World complex.

Marshall is a managing executive officer of Okura Nikko Hotel management, having spent more than 15 years with the group. Previously, he served as general manager of Hotel Nikko Osaka. He also has spent time as general manager of Sofitel Tokyo and director of operations for Accor Japan.

He has accumulated broad working experience throughout the US and Asia, where he spent the last 20 years of his career. His postings include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Manila, Sydney, Bali, Jakarta, Tokyo and Osaka.

The Anam makes two new F&B appointments

By TTGmice

September 5, 2018

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The Anam in Vietnam has welcomed two new F&B recruits – Ye Chang Sheng as executive chef, and Vu Thi Huong Giang as director of F&B.

After receiving two diplomas in international hotel management and professional cooking, Ye, a Chinese national, embarked on his career a decade ago as a chef de partie with Radisson Blu in Sandton Johannesburg, South Africa. He quickly rose up the ranks in a career that has seen him heat up the frying pan for luxury hotel brands including InterContinental and Hilton in South Africa and Seychelles.

From left:Y e Chang Sheng, and Vu Thi Huong Giang

Prior to joining The Anam, Ye helmed the kitchen at nearby Mia Resort Nha Trang as executive chef for two years.

Meanwhile, Vu Thi Huong Giang holds a major in food processing. The Vietnamese started her her career in 2004 as a waitress at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, where she steadily climbed the ladder over a decade to become a F&B manager. She has also worked for Vinpearl Land and Mia Resort in Nha Trang.

W Hotels makes Malaysian debut with KL opening

By TTGmice

September 4, 2018

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W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International, has opened the doors to W Kuala Lumpur, the brand’s first-ever hotel in Malaysia.

W Kuala Lumpur features 150 guestrooms and suites, including two Wow suites and the Extreme Wow Suite, measuring over 520m².

F&B concepts include Yen, which offers contemporary Cantonese cuisine and fresh seafood; all-day dining restaurant Flock, where chefs serve up Australian, farm-to-flock dishes out of an open kitchen; Woobar; and the Wet Deck pool bar. The hotel will also offer two privately-managed dining and entertainment venues including Saint Pierre, a 70-seat French eatery that has earned a Michelin star at its Singapore location, and Wicked, a VIP club.

For events, there is over 1,500m² of function space, most of which belongs to the 1,000m² Great Room.

Lastly, recreational facilities include a 1,100m² spa with five treatment rooms, gym, an outdoor pool, and a beauty house for manicures, pedicures and the like.

More event planners are taking notice of Cambodia

By Marissa Carruthers

September 4, 2018

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Pacific-Hotel-Siem-Reap — Pacific Hotel Siem Reap

Cambodia’s growing range of products and greater affordability are making the country an attractive destination for the region’s business events market.

Esther Ng, liaison director of Singapore-based Networks Synergy International, said clients are searching for new destinations to host meetings and events, and Cambodia’s affordability in comparison to South-east Asia’s major business events destinations, such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, is planting the country on the radar.

Ng said: “There’s a lot more interest in Cambodia. With some products, there is a big price difference too, of up to 40 per cent, compared with other countries, and there are many new hotels being built for the market.”

This is a trend that Chatora Ath, general manager of Kilat Events, has noticed. She said for many regional companies, Cambodia is ticking all the right boxes, adding she has seen a rise in bookings from businesses based in Singapore and Malaysia.

Ath added: “Cambodia is much more affordable than other popular countries, like Singapore, and today, Cambodia has a lot more accommodation to offer at more affordable prices than Vietnam and Thailand.”

The surge in corporate interest has led to a rise in hotels catering to the sector. Pacific Hotel in Siem Reap, for example, is constructing a conference centre for up to 1,200 pax to add to its current business facilities. It is slated to open before 2019.

Rudy A Cagang Jr, the hotel’s operations manager, noted a rise in enquiries from India and Singapore. “Cambodia’s affordability definitely plays a part in this,” he said.

Coupled with the country’s lower price points is its growing products and quality of facilities. A flurry of international hotel brands like Rosewood have entered and are entering the market, bringing with them new meeting and conference spaces, and more quality production companies and entertainers are helping to bolster the market.

Sinan Thourn, chairman of B2B Cambodia, opined: “Affordability is playing a role in attracting more regional companies. It makes us competitive, especially now when we can offer the same quality of facilities and accommodation as other destinations.”

KTO Singapore launches event planning course for corporates

By Karen Yue

September 4, 2018

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The Korea Tourism Organization Singapore office is introducing an event planning course designed for in-house corporate event planners, aimed at arming participants with in-depth knowledge on the destination and event trends, as well as basic need-to-knows such as tour prices and meal plans.

The first Korea MICE Workshop Basic 101, to be held on September 11 at the Korea Plaza, is offered free to qualified corporate planners.

Korea Tourism Organization Singapore office is adding to its training courses for MICE agents with a corporate planners’ edition

Caitrin Moh, senior MICE manager of the Korea Tourism Organization Singapore office, said the course was created in response to ongoing feedback from corporate clients that “South Korea is a boring and expensive country for business events”.

Moh explained: “Such perceptions are due to a lack of resources in the market for their reference (which forces them to) depend greatly on their appointed intermediaries to come up with (programme) recommendations.

“Unfortunately, there are too many products (in South Korea) for the intermediaries to digest, and (event) trends are always changing. As a result, intermediaries may not have a deep understanding of South Korea and end up recommending a programme that does not answer the needs of the client. They may also choose to stick to safe, tried-and-tested products that are no longer as exciting.”

The course will cover three key areas: general information on South Korea (such as accessibility and weather); common blind spots (such as reasons for differences in tour prices); and trending and unique experiences for corporate events.

The Singapore office has also been trying to improve the quality of destination programming on the intermediary side through similar courses since late 2011. Held twice a year, once in March/April, and the other in August/September, these courses are offered free to outbound travel agents.

Moh expects the first corporate-facing course to attract at least 20 participants.

“We plan on keeping the session small and intimate so that we can focus on guiding each and every participant, and to identify areas of the course which we can improve on for future editions,” she said.

As to when the next corporate course would be offered, Moh said it would depend on demand and how the first edition fares.

MITEC unveils VR tours of its facility

By TTGmice

September 4, 2018

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The Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) has taken event engagement to the next level with the unveiling of its immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experience.

The VR-based app will bring MITEC’s venues to life with a 360-degree view, presented through a special headset device utilising the latest standalone VR, Oculus Go with improved visual clarity, comfort, quality audio and a built-in software. MITEC plans to use this technology at tradeshows, roadshows and sales calls.

MITEC can now be explored virtually and event planners can visualise how their event will look like

The Oculus Go rises above the various competitors in the mobile VR category because for the first time, it allows both Android and iOS users run VR content as it does not need to be paired with either a mobile phone or be tethered to a PC.

The VR headset allows the entire 45,000m² venue to be explored virtually and also provide users with an interactive navigation to get a feel for nearby attractions and amenities. For instance, meeting planners can expand the immersive experience to also discover Kuala Lumpur city.

Gunther Beissel, CEO of MITEC, concluded: “When it comes to planning events, organisers can view virtual experiences of exhibition halls and the venue’s capacity to get a life-like idea of their event at MITEC will be like.”

Walk in Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po and Shek Kip Mei Tour

Beyond Asia: Grand Hyatt Athens, World Routes 2020, and Nigerian Food Event

Bangkok’s Sukhumvit home to a new Somerset serviced residence

Mark Kobayashi now SVP sales and marketing at The Peninsula Hotels

GM announced for Hotel Okura Manila ahead of opening

The Anam makes two new F&B appointments

W Hotels makes Malaysian debut with KL opening

More event planners are taking notice of Cambodia

KTO Singapore launches event planning course for corporates

MITEC unveils VR tours of its facility

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