RoomIt by CWTÒ, the hotel distribution division of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, has appointed Jack Staehler as its new chief technology officer.
Based in RoomIt’s Chicago headquarters, he will be joining both CWT’s Product & Technology and RoomIt leadership teams.
Staehler has held a number of vice president technology roles with companies such as Cendant Travel, Orbitz and Sears Holdings. Prior to joining RoomIt, he was vice president with RR Donnelly where he led digital product & software development, investment strategy and process management.
The Bali and Jakarta Police Offices have put both destinations on highest security alert following a series of bombings in Surabaya and neighbouring Sidoarjo on Sunday and Monday morning.
Additional security personnel and more stringent security checks are being imposed at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport and all entry points to the island.
Suicide bombers struck three churches in Surabaya on Sunday
Budi Karya Sumadi, Indonesia minister of transportation said the number of security personnel at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport had been increased from 500 to 700, including members of the bomb squad and bloodhounds.
The situations at both Indonesia’s busiest airports are running as normal.
Meanwhile, travel trade players in Surabaya, East Java are continuing to monitor the situation and are in close communications with clients and business partners overseas as the city remains on high alert.
Arifudinsyah, chairman of the Association of The Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) East Java chapter, told TTGmice: “We are collecting data and information from members (on the impact), but it is still too early to determine the impact on business now.
According to Arief Yahya, Indonesia Minister of Tourism, the Tourism Crisis Management Team “will continue monitoring and will co-ordinate with all parties to ensure that the tourism ecosystem are conducive; (to ensure that) the accessibility, amenities and attractions in East Java, particularly in Surabaya run normally.”
Responding to travel advisories issued by the UK, Australia, the US, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Ireland, Arief said: “The Ministry of Tourism respect that and views it as the duty of each country to protect its people abroad put in place.”
Two tourism organisations in Capitol Region, the US are looking to attract more Asian business events on the back of Cathay Pacific’s four-times weekly Hong Kong-Washington DC service starting September 15.
At a recent travel trade workshop in Hong Kong, held to promote the Capitol Region for holidays, a spokesperson for Destination DC told TTGmice that the new flight would likely result in heavier business travel traffic to the US capital from Hong Kong as well as the Asian-Pacific region.
Heavier business travel traffic from Asia-Pacific to Washington DC is expected now with Cathay Pacific’s new service
The spokesperson said Washington DC gets mostly medical meetings which have brought in an increased number of international attendees.
She added: “Asia as a whole is a large growth market for us and having this key hub (Hong Kong) is paramount to our success since access is one of the major reasons that meeting professionals choose a destination.
“This ties into our work as the first DMO (destination marketing organisation) in the US to officially partner with WeChat and to grow our Welcome China programme. Within the past two years we have been more active in our Asian markets. We are focusing heavily on pharmaceutical (meetings) and incentive (programmes) in Asia.”
While Hong Kong will get most of the attention in Destination DC’s Asian foray, the spokesperson said no specific campaigns have been planned for the Hong Kong market at present.
Over at Arlington City, a quick car ride from Washington DC, the Arlington Convention and Visitors Service is partnering with the latter and regional organisations including Capitol Region USA (CRUSA) to win over events from Asia.
A spokesperson with Arlington Convention and Visitors Service said: “We see great potential for increased business events and business travel in Arlington, especially for planners who are seeking excellent value and convenience next to Washington DC. Our 45 hotels have rates averaging 20 per cent less than Washington hotels.
“Arlington is primarily a corporate/government business destination (around 42 per cent) with a strong group, conference and meeting base (30 per cent). Specifically for the South Asian markets, we hear that almost 12 per cent of travellers say that business is a big reason for their visits, and that number grows every year.”
Arlington welcomes business events from various industries although technology and defense-related meetings are most prominent.
However, work appears to be cut out for Capitol Region’s destination marketing specialists. Some Hong Kong travel specialists told TTGmice that demand so far for the destination has been lukewarm.
Towa Tours Hong Kong’s head of MICE & business development, Roseanna Leung, said she sees “stable demand” for the US, as her agency handles mostly the insurance and financial industry, with top agents heading to the Million Dollar Round Table conference in the US every year.
“Our clients also arrange corporate visits to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, Buffalo, Orlando and Hawaii every few years. However, they are likely to make only day trips to Washington DC as it has limited event facilities and too many security concerns.”
Cecilia Yeung, deputy managing director of Jetour M.I.C.E. Service, suggested that “a massive campaign to promote the region” for business events might improve client perceptions of the destination.
Thanks to improving political relations between the two Koreas and a successful PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, business event stakeholders in South Korea are expectant of better business ahead.
Kim Baeho, director, MICE planning & coordination team, Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO), who led a MICE roadshow to Singapore last Thursday, told TTGmice in an interview: “Last year, South Korea received 1.8 million foreign MICE visitors. (Recent events) show that we are in the mood for peace, and it will definitely create the image that South Korea is safe. Visitors were worried about the political situation and nuclear weapons, but now it’s getting better.”
Kim: Korea is now in the mood for peace
Additionally, Kim noted that the Pyeongchang games have lifted “awareness about South Korea as a mega-events destination”.
To capitalise on this popularity, KTO intends to promote sites like the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and hold more “post-Olympic projects” in Gangwon province which Pyeongchang is part of, such as the upcoming Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Summit in Gangneung.
As well, KTO will soon unveil a new support programme for South-east Asian groups. It will incorporate Korean pop culture into incentive events and meetings, such as arranging exclusive concerts for large corporate groups.
Solène Lecoq, operations assistant manager, AJU Incentive Tours is upbeat about South Korea’s appeal for business events. She said: “Incentive groups used to want to stay only in Seoul, but now they want to explore other interesting areas (farther away), like Gangwon, Gyeongnam, Busan and Gyeongju.”
Follow archaeologist Nerina to Kaludiya Pokuna and Ritigala – two relatively unknown sites in the Cultural Triangle
Khiri Travel Sri Lanka has rolled out six destination experiences that feature local personalities with interesting stories of their life in the country.
The brainchild of Khiri Travel Sri Lanka, general manager, Gonzalo Gil Lavedra, the experiences are delivered by an archaeologist, a Colombo street food expert, a Tamil native of Jaffna who has lived through civil war, a keeper of a garrison cemetery (with many tales to tell), an art scene expert in Colombo, and a leading Sri Lankan-Japanese chef who will prepare a private dinner for participants.
Follow archaeologist Nerina to Kaludiya Pokuna and Ritigala – two relatively unknown sites in the Cultural Triangle
Citing an example of what participants can expect, Gil Lavedra said archaeologist Nerina will take guests to Kaludiya Pokuna and Ritigala – two sites in the Cultural Triangle that are off the beaten track. He said a visit to these sites is evocative of an “Indiana Jones experience”.
When asked how the six individuals were chosen as insights hosts, Gil Lavedra said: “We chose them for their personality and ability to communicate and show what they love. It is refreshing to meet people who are passionate and willing to share their insights with others. (Participants) feel like they are hanging out with a local friend and getting to know aspects of Sri Lanka that are beyond the regular, more traditional mainstream offerings. We love to travel and explore, and our insiders share the same passion for discovery.”
Gil Lavedra has selected local personalities with interesting stories to tell of their life in Sri Lanka
The experiences were developed for all types of travellers, including corporate groups. Gil Lavedra believes that business event delegates can benefit from “meeting the right personality (who will) bring the destination to light in surprising ways”.
Each experience can be delivered for groups of up to 18 people, and run for a few hours to a full day.
More insights hosts will soon be added to the offering, shared Gil Lavedra, as Khiri Travel Sri Lanka is “always on the lookout for more unique experiences that will put travellers in contact with the right people and showcase the destination”.
The lobby of Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap, the first Marriott-branded hotel in Cambodia
Marriott International has opened its first Marriott-branded hotel in Cambodia, the Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap.
The resort offers 233 guestrooms and suites, all of which are furnished with modern furniture and amenities such as a 43-inch flatscreen TV. They also have private balconies with views of the pool, city or gardens.
The lobby of Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap, the first Marriott-branded hotel in Cambodia
Facilities on-site include all-day-dining restaurant Lok Lak, rooftop bar Upper Deck; Quan Spa, outdoor saltwater pool, fitness centre, Kids’ Club; and recreation room. Corporate planners can choose from the 410m2 Grand Room or five functional meeting rooms to hold their events or meetings.
Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort is located a 20-minute drive from Siem Reap International Airport, while the UNESCO-listed Angkor Wat is a 15-minute drive. The property is also a five-minute walk to the bars, lounges, and restaurants of the city’s well-known Pub Street.
Courtyard continues to expand into Cambodia, and a Courtyard by Marriott Phnom Pehn is expected to open in the capital later this year.
Shanghai’s glamorous dining and party venues, many located in heritage buildings along the Bund, are attractive to luxury event clients
Shanghai’s appeal as an exciting destination for international business events continues to grow, and the addition of a number of high-end hotel brands is giving room for the city to go after more luxury incentives.
Shanghai’s glamorous dining and party venues, many located in heritage buildings along the Bund, are attractive to luxury event clients
Notable additions include the Bellagio by MGM Shanghai, the St Regis Shanghai Jingan, Capella Shanghai Jian Ye Li, and W Shanghai – The Bund. Also opening are boutique brands with between 100 and 150 rooms, like Bulgari, Edition, Middle House and Sukothai.
In February, for example, all 55 of Cappella Shanghai’s one-, two- and three-bedroom villas, were booked by a China-based finance company for a one-night stay that was combined with an off-site dinner as its annual company incentive.
According to Yvonne Peng, Cappella Shanghai’s director of sales and marketing, the hotel is also seeing demand for events that mix luxury lifestyle and business.
For incentive groups from Europe and North America, Violet Wang, destination manager of Pacific World in Shanghai, said the budget for luxury programmes ranges between 2,000 euros (US$2,466) and 3,000 euros per head, and while 5,000 euros per head is rare, it is not unheard of.
Kris Van Goethem, inbound and MICE director, Thomas Cook MICE, added that a big part of what appeals to European clients are Shanghai’s nightlife – think dining venues like Lost Heaven and the House of Roosevelt, and entertainment hotspots like Bar Rouge and M1NT Club.
DMCs TTGmice spoke to noted that popular incentive activities organised in Shanghai include visiting the growing number of boutique art galleries, restaurant hopping, meeting the locals for tai chi or dancing, and going on a bespoke tour on a public double-decker bus.
As well, new products are especially important to draw international corporate meeting and incentive groups that head to China to do business followed by a two- to three-day incentive programme.
Set up in 2016, regional DMC Faces of China, whose co-founder is Asian incentive veteran Jacques Arnoux, invested in its own booth at IMEX Las Vegas last year.
Cindy Zhang, its CEO, said: “We have created a new VR/AI product for the Shanghai Museum, and we are planning to target special interest incentive groups and high-profile incentive clients interested in Chinese art and culture, and want deeper knowledge.” She added that they will be doing “more at IMEX Frankfurt” this year as France and the US are its key markets.
Industries targeted include manufacturing, IT, insurance automotive, and pharmaceuticals looking for a traditional incentive programme, Zhang noted.
Another plus for Shanghai are its fairly stable hotel rates.
“Hotel demand in Shanghai is increasing but so is supply, and that is keeping hotel rates stable,” Pacific World’s Wang opined.
As for Shanghai rate increases, Julien Delerue, general manager of RFP platform 1000meetings, observed there was a “10 per cent growth for MICE group rates on room accommodation year-on-year in 2017 versus 2016 for five-star international hotels – RMB1,045 (US$166) in 2017 versus RMB945 in 2016”.
It was seven per cent for four-star international hotels – RMB645 in 2017 versus RMB600 in 2016, he added, and noted that similar rate trends are expected in 2018.
As China’s financial hub, domestic demand for Shanghai also plays a major role.
Chris Tsoi, general manager, St Regis Shanghai Jingan, said: “The hotel business in China has evolved and high-end domestic events are driving demand. Hoteliers have to ask if it is still worth the investment to promote in longhaul markets and attend shows like IT&ME in the UK.
“In the automotive industry, for example, local manufacturers don’t even have to set (incentive) targets for distributors (as business is going well). They just invite their partners to high-end events to continue building the relationship,” Tsoi shared.
Cheryl Yue, executive assistant manager – sales and marketing, W Shanghai – The Bund, agreed.
“China is now like the US and the domestic market is very important. Between 20 and 30 per cent of our business is domestic, and China, the US and Hong Kong make up our top three markets,” she shared.
Meanwhile, Shanghai’s hotel inventory will continue to expand at the 28ha Shanghai Hongqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone, located 5.5km away from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. The space is currently being developed for commerce and business events, and is where the mega National Exhibition and Convention Center is located.
According to a Shanghai business events official, the area will house 100 new international chain and domestic-branded hotels in the next three to five years.
There are now 51 hotels in the area, with around 14 business and higher-end hotels providing some 4,400 rooms, and 32 in the economy category providing another 4,000 rooms.
This story was first published in TTGmice May 2018 issue, as part of a destination feature on Shanghai. Access TTGmice electronic magazines by clicking here.
Best Western Hotels & Resorts has appointed Cyril Czerwonka as its new regional director of development – Asia.
Czerwonka joins Best Western’s Asia head office in Bangkok, where he will focus on seeking new hotel development opportunities for the company across the region.
He had his start in the hospitality industry with AccorHotels, focusing on Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and the Maldives. His hospitality experience also includes five years at The Ascott, where he was business development manager for Europe and North Africa.
Then in 2013, he joined Dusit International as assistant director of development for EMEA, based in the UAE.
Faced with a slowdown in local corporate and government business events and corporate travel since April, due to both the general elections which was held yesterday and the month-long Ramadan which starts May 16, agents in Malaysia are holding their breath for a resumption in business after the festive celebrations.
Syed Razif Al-Yahya, managing director of Sutra Group of Companies, said government activities leading up to the general election was concentrated on election campaign activities.
Stakeholders believe business events and corporate group business will improve after back-to-back nationwide events
He shared: “We still received travel bookings, but it was mainly domestic bookings. Overall, government business saw a drop of 30 per cent in April and May, compared to the same period in 2017. Local corporate movements leading up to the general election have been slow (due to the) postponements of travel and incentives.”
He added that the outcome of the elections may also have an impact on future corporate groups as some companies have business dealings with government agencies, and are reliant on government contracts.
However, even though Syed Razif believes that government business activities will pick up after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, he opined that “budgets may be reduce as it has been eaten up by election activities”.
For S Jayakumar, operations manager at Dayangti Transport & Tours, his company also has received no corporate bookings during Ramadan.
“But we have a group of 30 travellers from Sri Lanka who are taking advantage of cheaper hotel rooms during the lower season to conduct their incentive programme in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Resorts World Genting,” he said.
In addition, the company will also have three local corporate incentive groups embarking on their 3D/2N incentive trips to Langkawi, Terengganu and Johor next week, with everything to be concluded before the start of Ramadan on May 16.
S Jayakuma remains optimistic that business will pick up after the fasting month.
“We have received enquiries from local corporate companies for domestic incentive trips from end-June to September. A trend we see is the growing maturity of corporate clients who are placing greater emphasis on service levels. They are willing to pay a higher price for better service and comfort for their groups,” he noted.
As well, Yvonne Lim, director of sales and marketing at Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel, remarked: “We foresee business will be slow for corporate meeting groups during Ramadan, and so we have introduced meeting packages with Ramadan break of fast buffet spreads.”
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) awarded Chew Ghim Bok, Singapore’s bid chair for the Rotary International Convention 2024, with Best Business Event Champion at the Singapore Tourism Awards 2018 on Tuesday evening.
Awarded under the Experience Excellence (MICE) category, Chew was recognised for playing a key role in securing Singapore’s bid for the Rotary International Convention 2024. The event is set to be the largest association convention to be hosted in Singapore, with more than 25,000 Rotary members from around the world expected to attend.
Chew Ghim Bok
“Our bid was flexible in that we didn’t just present one venue. We suggested having the main event at one venue, and the plenary and breakout sessions at a nearby hotel or convention centre. Singapore is so small, so this mix-and-match element was also very attractive to the organisers,” said Chew.
He added that Singapore also enjoys strong “regional support”, in terms of having a good reputation among its neighbours, who spoke highly of the country’s safety and efficient immigration at the meeting.
“The support from STB has also been tremendous,” he shared.
The next challenge for the convention is in acquiring sufficient volunteers to execute and manage the event, Chew said.
The Experience Excellence (MICE) award category awarded a total of eight recipients for their achievements in Singapore’s MICE industry.
Read more about the MICE industry winners at this year’s Singapore Tourism Awards here.
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.
Based in RoomIt’s Chicago headquarters, he will be joining both CWT’s Product & Technology and RoomIt leadership teams.
