Sereena Supa’at has been appointed director of sales and marketing for Six Senses Duxton and Six Senses Maxwell.
Prior to joining Six Senses, Supa’at spent four years at Patina Capitol Singapore as director of sales and marketing.
The Singaporean has over 15 years’ experience in the luxury hospitality sector, and she has cut her teeth at hospitality companies including Patina Hotels and Resorts, Capella Singapore, St. Regis, Mandarin Oriental Hotels, The Fullerton Hotel, and Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts.
A more efficient way to travel, a destination’s long-term planning, and good crisis management are three factors that must be considered to enable the world’s business travel and events industry to grow further.
Guevara says WTTC is working with destination authorities on long-term infrastructure plans for sustainable tourism growth
The first consideration is security and travel facilitation, opined Gloria Guevara, president & CEO World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) who spoke to TTGmice at IMEX Frankfurt.
She believes that if it wasn’t easy to travel to a specific destination, this would impact participation numbers at business events.
Guevara noted that in 2017 approximately four billion people had flown, according to IATA’s long-term passenger forecast. IATA predicts that over the next 20 years, passenger numbers could almost double, which means that by 2036 there could be some 7.8 billion people travelling by air.
“When you look at that growth, do you think we can grow with the existing infrastructure we have? I don’t think so,” said Guevara. “One of the things we are proposing is the use of technology – biometrics specifically – so travellers can have a better experience at the airports and ports, where they can travel faster and more efficiently.”
She strongly believes this initiative is significant as it will make the journey more seamless, and in turn the ease of travel would impact business travel positively.
Guevara also urged the need for a long-term plan for sustainable growth. WTTC is working towards this with local authorities, and on behalf of the private sector, to avoid overcrowding. This is in light of the number of international tourist arrivals forecasted to grow – according to UNWTO – from 1.2 billion to 1.8 billion by 2030.
Guevara elaborated: “Business events play a significant role here because they move thousands of people during an event. Hence, we have to make sure the destination has a long-term plan so that it can benefit from the opportunity (of the tourism influx), instead of being negatively impacted because of the volume.”
Lastly, the management of crises is another key factor, and the WTTC hopes to spend time with governments to prepare for possible disasters, as business events would be diverted should organisers or travellers not feel safe in a particular destination.
“When a destination manages a crisis well, it minimises the negative impact on business travel in a short time frame. For example, there was a situation in Las Vegas, but the local government engaged with the private sector and local community, and they were fully prepared to react to the uncertainty,” Guevara shared.
Currently, business travel is 22.5 per cent or a quarter of travel and tourism worldwide, where its contribution, both direct and indirect, is 10.4 per cent of the world’s GDP.
Stakeholders in Myanmar are keen to attract more incentive groups and exhibitions as the destination betters its tourist infrastructure and meeting facilities.
Su Su Tin, managing director of EXO Myanmar, noted interest in incentive travel is on the rise as destinations around the country open up and alternative activities away from the temples are developed.
Su: unique incentive itineraries away from the usual temples are attracting corporate interest
She said: “We can create very original itineraries and Myanmar is a good destination for incentive travel, which more clients are realising.”
The top performing longhaul markets for incentive events are the UK, France and Germany, with Singapore and Vietnam shining regionally. “This (incentive travel sector) is a huge potential market and we need to promote this more,” Tin added.
Phyoe Wai Yar Zar, managing director of Diethelm Travel Myanmar, added: “New products are being created in new areas, which, combined with the diverse landscapes, cultures and foods across Myanmar, make it an increasingly attractive destination for incentive travel.”
While there are several conference centres in the capital of Naypyitaw, the more vibrant Yangon is currently home to only two – Myanmar Convention Centre (MCC) and Tatmadaw Exhibition Hall – which are unsuitable for international exhibitions due to lack of facilities and space.
However, this looks set to change with the government announcing plans to demolish MCC and replace it with a modern centre that meets international standards by 2019.
An artist’s impression of Yangon Conference Centre which will open in September
Meanwhile, the 9,600m2 Yangon Conference Centre is slated to open in September at Inya Lake Hotel as the city’s first flexible and modern event space. It will be capable of hosting large-scale conferences, exhibitions and banquets.
May Myat Mon Win, Myanmar Marketing Tourism’s (MTM) chairperson, said: “With the opening of YCC, it means we can invite international conventions and exhibitions to take place here.”
MTM will carry out promotional campaigns targeting the exhibitions segment as well as attending tradeshows focused on business events.
The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)’s A$200 million (US$153 million) expansion is nearing completion, with the ribbon-cutting ceremony currently set on June 26.
The 20,000m2 expansion includes 9,000m2 of exhibition space plus an additional flexible, multipurpose event space, 1,000 seat plenary theatre, multiple meeting rooms, a banquet room, and the Goldfields Café and Bar. This will bring the total size of MCEC to 70,000m2.
The new space will be warmed by the inaugural Malaria World Congress, from July 1 to 5. The event is expected to attract 2,000 to 2,500 people from NGOs to government bodies, as well as scientists.
Malaria is one of the world’s leading health problems. At present, there is no mechanism anywhere in the world for all stakeholders to share information and build a solid framework for collaborative action against malaria. The Malaria World Congress aims to address this gap.
MCEC has also recently won Spineweek 2020, the Annual Meeting of the International Continence Society 2021, and General Assembly and Congress of the International Union of Crystallography 2023. Each event is expected to attract at least 2,000 delegates. The three will altogether contribute A$48 million (US$35.9 million) dollars to the Victoria state.
MCEC’s Peter King (far right) announces his centre’s unique partnership with C2 International; King poses with C2 International’s Martin Enault and Melbourne Convention Bureau’s Karen Bolinger at IMEX Frankfurt yesterday
MCEC has also announced two new product and service breakthroughs this week – the debut of a digital portal that helps customers manage event-related documents and processes, and a collaboration with C2 International that will grant MCEC’s customers access to the latter’s experiential design platform and signature interaction labs.
myMCEC digital portal allows customers to review and upload documents tailored to their event and manage tasks such as setting email reminders and making secure payments. The portal can be accessed at any time on any device.
Developed by event management technology company Ungerboeck, Peter King, MCEC’s chief executive, describes myMCEC as the first customised technology of its kind in the meetings and events space.
Commenting on MCEC’s partnership with C2 International, which is believed to be a world’s first in the convention sector, King said: “Together with C2, we’ll work to transform our industry and reinvent the role venues play in helping deliver events that generate positive connections and meaningful experiences.”
Founded by Cirque du Soleil and Sid Lee, C2 International is a company which curates immersive and interactive experiences, compelling participants to reframe their thinking and draw on innate creativity to solve the global business challenges in this day and age.
BestCities Global Alliance, Rehabilitation International and GainingEdge have come together to conduct a joint study that aims at producing a reference for meetings organisers and suppliers to help remove barriers to participation in meetings and conventions for delegates with special needs.
To be facilitated by GainingEdge, the report will set the background on accessibility issues in the meetings industry, focusing specifically on venues for meetings and conventions.
Vallee: information will be used to make events more welcoming for attendees with special needs
BestCities partners, as members of the world’s leading convention bureau alliance, will lead the project, trailblazing the way for other destinations around the world to make significant improvements in accessibility. This will be achieved through knowledge sharing and robust case study examples on good practice on accessibility in the meetings industry.
Rehabilitation International, as a valuable partner in this project, will also be used as a source of research, acting as the technical advisor. The association’s world congress which took place in Edinburgh in 2016, and left a multitude of legacies, will be one of the key case studies to feature in the report.
With accessibility an emerging area of research and industry practice, the project aims to comprehensively address the broader issues including visitor accessibility that can impact visitor experiences and capacity in the visitation industry for full economic and social benefit realisation.
Paul Vallee, BestCities managing director, said: “This project looks at sharing knowledge and best practices from BestCities destinations, which can then be utilised to support convention delegates with special needs.
“We’re always striving to improve the purpose of meetings and events and hope this campaign will educate many on the importance of accessibility. Creating inclusive environments should be a fundamental aspect in the management of events and we hope to see more incorporating this into their planning.”
Gary Grimmer, CEO of GainingEdge, agreed: “We recognise that convention bureaus and destination management organisations will have limited control over the accessibility situation in their cities. These issues are complex, multi-layered and involve stakeholders from commercial, governmental and meeting supply sectors. However, building an understanding of the broader issues of delegate accessibility will encourage the industry to cater better for people who have a range of needs.”
The report is due to be completed later this year.
A larger Muscat International Airport has started to welcome passengers
First hotel connected to Iowa Events Center opens for business
The Hilton Des Moines Downtown has opened its doors as the only hotel directly connected to the Iowa Events Center, which comprises a world-class convention centre and the Wells Fargo arena. Hilton Des Moines Downtown offers 1,300m2 of meeting space, including a 929m2 ballroom that opens onto an outdoor terrace. The property is said to be the only hotel in downtown Des Moines that features natural light in every meeting room.
In keeping with the tech-centric theme of the hotel, meeting rooms feature technology including touch-screen navigation signage, smart window lighting and Click Share technology in boardrooms. The hotel will also be home to Park Street Kitchen, a modern restaurant featuring dishes created with locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients and Des Moines’ only outdoor, patio fireplace.
Messukeskus business events hotel gets a facelift
The Holiday Inn hotel at Finland’s largest convention facility – Messukeskus Helsinki, Expo and Convention Centre – is undergoing a year-long renovation project, which will cover the entire building, including hotel rooms, service points, technology and interior. The hotel is currently closed and is scheduled to reopen at the beginning of 2019.
Muscat International Airport unveils phase one of upgrades
The first phase of expansion at Oman’s Muscat International Airport is now operational, with the addition of a 580,000m2 terminal bringing the total airport land area to 21km2.
This increases the gateway’s passenger capacity to 20 million, up from the previous 12 million passengers in 2017. The new terminal has a departure hall that features three entrance gates connecting to 96 flight check-in facilities. First & Business class passengers flying with Oman Air will be assisted separately at 12 check-in counters and three supervisor counters. In addition, guests in transit at the new terminal will be able to choose from 100 shopping and dining outlets. Subsequent phases of the airport upgrade are aimed to boost the number to 24, 36 and 48 million passengers per annum.
The 815-key Mövenpick Hotel Ho Chi Minh City is slated to open in 2020 as the centrepiece of the Kenton Node riverside mixed-use development, currently under construction along the Rach Dia river bank.
Offering 288 hotel rooms and 527 serviced apartments, Mövenpick Hotel Ho Chi Minh City will also feature a choice of restaurants and bars, an outdoor infinity swimming pool, a private spa, a fitness centre, and conference and banqueting facilities including a ballroom and several meeting rooms.
Artist impression of the property, which will feature 288 hotel rooms and 527 serviced apartment units
The surrounding 84,000m2 Kenton Node complex will boast high-end retail malls, restaurants, a multiplex cinema and other leisure facilities, plus office space, residential units, a marina, riverside promenade and parks.
The signing of Mövenpick Hotel Ho Chi Minh City is a “key part” of the Swiss chain’s ambitious expansion plans in the country, and will take its Vietnam portfolio to eight properties strong and over 3,000 rooms by 2020, said Andrew Langdon, chief development officer for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.
At present, the company is established in Hanoi, but the next few years will see the launch of a series of new hotels and resorts in key destinations across the country, including Cam Ranh, Phu Quoc, Quy Nhon, Quang Binh, Danang and Lang Co.
Stefan Leser has been named Langham Hospitality Group’s CEO, a post vacated by Robert Warman who retired last December.
Based in Hong Kong, Leser will oversee all aspects of the group’s global portfolio of hotels, resorts and residences. He will provide strategic guidance, implement organisational processes for all divisions and lead the global expansion drive.
Stefan Leser
Leser has nearly 30 years of experience in the travel and hospitality industries, most recently at Jumeirah International, where he was the group CEO and a member of the board of directors. At the Dubai-based company, Leser was responsible for several milestone projects, including inauguration of The Terrace at Burj Al Arab and the completion and launch of Jumeirah Al Naseem.
Prior to joining Jumeirah, Leser held senior roles for more than a decade at Kuoni Travel. As a member of Kuoni’s executive board and executive vice president of the outbound and specialists division, Leser directed the company’s travel businesses, covering the Nordics, the UK, Benelux, India, China, Hong Kong and Switzerland. He was also responsible for all businesses specialising in inbound destination management.
Leser also spent six years in the information technology industry with Swissair and EDS Corporation.
Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers has appointed Allwyn D’souza and Joyce Wong as its new resident manager and director of sales & marketing respectively.
In this new role, D’souza will lead and guide the hotel’s operations division. Before joining Sheraton, D’souza was the director of room operation at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel.
From left: Allwyn D’souza and Joyce Wong
He brings with him 17 years of hotel operations and guest relations experience across four Marriott hotel brands – Marriott, Renaissance, Courtyard and Marriott Executive Apartments – in countries such as Fiji, Malaysia, India and Singapore.
Meanwhile, Wong joins Sheraton from her most recent role as director of marketing at Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel.
In her new role, she will oversee the sales and marketing division of the 782-room hotel with 15 event and conference spaces, which includes proactive sales, event booking, marketing communications and reservations teams.
Wong has over two decades of experience in driving sales and MICE business from previous stints with InterContinental, Mandarin Oriental, Island Shangri-La, The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott in Hong Kong and China.
The Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort has appointed Guven Uyanik as executive chef.
Uyanik will report to the resort’s general manager, Cyrille Carmona.
Prior to joining Outrigger, Uyanik was executive sous chef at the luxury The Murray, Hong Kong.
He has also been a culinary consultant for the pre-opening of Scot’s Concepts Singapore; executive chef at Hong Kong Parkview; group head chef at Kee Club, Hong Kong and Shanghai; executive sous chef at West Restaurant (Top Table Group) in Vancouver; and head chef at the Newport Room at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel in Bermuda.
Uyanik also spent time as a junior sous chef and demi chef de partie at Gordon Ramsey’s and Claridge’s, both in Mayfair, London.
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
The five-star property excels in backing its expansive facilities with seamless service and personalised attention, setting the benchmark for luxury in Bangkok.
Uyanik will report to the resort’s general manager, Cyrille Carmona.
