Dusit International has appointed Benjamin Perera as hotel manager of Dusit Princess Srinakarin Bangkok.
Perera first joined Dusit in March 2014 as executive assistant manager – F&B of Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket. He was promoted to resident manager of the hotel in October 2014, and in July last year he took on the same role at the flagship Dusit Thani Bangkok.
Prior to joining Dusit, he spent more than 20 years working in various roles for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in Moscow, Jakarta, Singapore and Hua Hin.
The oil and gas industry is showing signs of recovery but companies remain cautious about increasing budgets, which has seen spend on business events and event attendance lagging behind.
In 2016, at its bleakest when oil prices were at a 15-year low, companies reported massive layoffs, a complete freeze on staff events, reduction on assigned exhibition delegates as well as restriction on meetings to a when-necessary basis.
The oil and gas industry is showing signs of recovery
There has been no increase in companies’ marketing and event budgets since the cuts, and companies remain choosy about the events they go to, according to Stephen Ballard, managing director (oil & gas), BCM Public Relations, who organises oil and gas events in Asia.
Ballard said that during the oil price downturn, there were two major budget cuts and the industry is still recovering from those moves. He estimates that event participation in Asia was halved during the downturn – both marketing and delegate participation fell by approximately 50 per cent.
Most of the companies choose to participate in only the major international industry events as their marketing and travel budgets are highly scrutinised. Even if they do attend at all, industry participants use cheaper travel means.
Ballard: companies are still picky about the events they go to
According to a South-east Asian oil and gas association secretariat member who declined to be named, general participation at events has increased by an estimated five per cent since November last year. She anticipates attendance at her upcoming biennial exhibition in 2019 to increase by 10 to 15 per cent over the 2017 edition.
The difference in attendance could be a result of geographical differences. Industry participation remained mostly constant in London and other parts of Europe although the Asia-Pacific region had more volatility.
Ballard attributed this to the fact that mature markets such as the North Sea area have less changes in market developments while Asia is perceived to have greater potential growth.
More than 1,500 delegates have arrived and will be arriving at the Ariyana Convention Centre in Danang, Vietnam – managed by the Furama Resort Danang – to attend The Sixth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly and Associated Meetings, which began on June 23 and will conclude this Friday.
The GEF Assembly, set up to help tackle pressing environmental problems, is held every four years. It brings together environment ministers and other senior officials from its 183 member countries, along with heads of UN agencies, regional development backs, civil society organisations and business leaders to share ideas, solutions and action needed to protect the global environment.
Ariyana Convention Centre
The GEF Assembly and Associated Meetings were preceded by The Constituency Meeting and Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel Meeting on June 23. Following that are the 54th GEF Council Meeting from June 24 to 26, and both the 24th Least Developed Countries Fund/Special Climate Change Fund Council Meeting and a Civil Society Forum on June 26.
Visits to GEF projects surrounding Danang will take place on June 29.
The GEF has gotten underway
Matthias Wiesmann, general manager of Furama Resort Danang, shared that the experience garnered from hosting the APEC 2017 Summit helped his team to prepare for the 6th GEF Assembly and Associated Meetings over the course of several months.
Wiesmann added that the Ariyana Convention Centre has also implemented green activities in light of the meeting. For instance, the centre opts for locally-sourced meals, provides water stations instead of bottled water, and minimises the energy and its carbon footprint emission.
Vietnam was one of the earliest members of the GEF, joining on December 5, 1994.
The Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC) will unveil its latest innovation on July 1, 2018, in the form of a fresh new menu, Honest Goodness.
Developed in collaboration with leading nutritional experts from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), the University of Adelaide, and CSIRO, Health and Biosecurity, the new menu will help transform the convention centre’s dining experience, placing emphasis on minimal intervention foods and conscious reduction of salts, sugars and preservatives.
Robertson heads a team of 75 kitchen staff at ACC
Designed with good nutrition in mind, Honest Goodness was created by the ACC’s executive chef Gavin Robertson in consultation with professor Gary Wittert of SAHMRI / University of Adelaide, and Pennie Taylor of CSIRO’s Health and Biosecurity unit.
To deliver on this commitment, Robertson and his team have reduced salts by replacing them with rubs and spices and swapped out sugar-laden drinks for house-made ice teas and fruit-infused waters. There’s also a strong focus on ‘preservative free’. Instead of using ingredients featuring nitrates, synthetic food preservatives or other additives, Honest Goodness uses natural rubs and house-made marinades to enhance flavour. In addition, cured and processed meats, which are traditionally high in nitrates, have been exchanged for in-house smoked and roasted meats.
Beyond its focus on minimal intervention foods, other features ACC’s new menu include:
Sensible Fats: Processed and manufactured fats and related substitutes have been replaced with natural animal and plant-based fats to create more balanced dishes, free from preservatives.
Low sugar and sodium: Honest Goodness focuses on the conscious reduction of refined white sugars, salts and processed sauces and dressings. As an example, ingredients with traditionally high sugar volume have been replaced with house-made chutneys, sauces and dressings with lower sugar levels.
A Taste of South Australia: Honest Goodness reflects the ACC’s ongoing commitment to sourcing food from local, sustainable environments. 97 per cent of produce used by the venue is sourced from South Australia.
House-made: The ACC’s in-house chefs are actively involved in preparing all dishes served at the Centre. Chef Gavin has worked closely with artisan producers – from cheesemakers to bakers, butchers and fishermen – to ensure any outsourced ingredients have been prepared in keeping with the Centre’s Honest Goodness philosophy.
Meet Taiwan will be returning for its annual Singapore destination roadshow – armed with their latest business events and incentive travel campaign – on June 27 at Mandarin Orchard Hotel.
Organised by the Taiwan External Trade Development Association (TAITRA), a delegation of nine Taiwanese business event companies will meet about 80 buyers and media.
Guests at last year’s Meet Taiwan event
The half-day event will elaborate on the benefits of business events in Taiwan, where Taipei city government representatives will present to attendees the many initiatives and subventions that can be enjoyed.
Guests also get to experience Taiwan’s 360 High Five Taiwan campaign with a glimpse into the beauty of Taiwan’s nature, food, sights, people and culture, and tradition within the metropolitan city through a VR showcase.
The roadshow will culminate in a themed panel discussion by Eagle Tour, Lion Travel Service and Taiwan Tour Travel, followed by a one-on-one table top session, a networking lunch and lucky draw to win a ticket to Taipei sponsored by EVA Air & China Airlines.
The Asia Super Team campaign will also return with the theme, Dare To Future. Each year, a chosen corporate team from eight targeted countries – South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines – come to Taiwan and compete while experiencing Taiwan’s business events facilities, scenic locations, cultures, and unique city features through play. The winning team is then awarded a Taiwan incentive travel package valued at US$50,000.
Luxury newcomer in the Malaysian capital city, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, is claiming a strong showing in forward bookings for meetings and conferences ahead of its official debut next month.
In an interview with TTGmice, general manager Tom Roelens said bookings are mostly from local companies based in Kuala Lumpur, followed by Singapore.
Rendering of a bedroom in the upcoming property
“We also have bookings from the UK, the US, Australia and Netherlands,” he shared.
To-date, the biggest win in the bag for the hotel is an incentive group that will be taking over most of the hotel later this year.
Roelens believes that his hotel is a new option for meeting planners, and one that is focused on offering personalised service and creating events that are unique – something the market needs.
“For meeting planners, we are intent on delivering a seamless experience, with a dedicated Four Seasons event planner at the ready to provide assistance every step of the way. Beyond that, we are focused on creating innovative and out-of-the-box events and have a pool of experts which can be leveraged,” he said.
A rendering of a private dining space in the hotel
“We want to own our position as the leading luxury hotel offering a luxury experience that’s tailor-made and delivers perfectly suited, innovative events in the heart of Kuala Lumpur,” he concluded.
Located in the exclusive Golden Triangle neighbourhood, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur will make its debut on July 1, with 236 guestrooms and suites. Facilities include six dining outlets, an outdoor pool, spa, and 1,821m2 of event space – where the largest ballroom is 776m2 and can take 540 pax banquet-style.
Family-owned Sirromet Winery, located 30 minutes from Brisbane at Mount Cotton, has launched 18 glamping tents for overnight guests.
This is Queensland’s first vineyard glamping accommodation, and will complement Merlot House – the existing four-bedroom guesthouse situated on the Sirromet grounds.
The inside of a tent
All tents are located on the hillside which is home to a variety of native wildlife. Each air-conditioned tented pavilion – made of double-layered all-weather campus – features a private balcony complete with day chairs, and is furnished with king beds. There is also an attached ensuite bathroom with vanity, shower and toilet. Even though there are no TVs, free Wi-Fi is available.
All tents are located a short five-minute walk or mini-cart ride from the Sanctuary site. The 18 tented sites are the first stage of the Sanctuary development with approval for 55 sites in total.
External view of a tent
Facilities on the eight-hectare grounds include three F&B options: The Cellar Door Café for casual dining; Italian restaurant Tuscan Terrance; and fine-dining space Restaurant Lurleen’s.
Set to open this week, InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort is the latest addition to the InterContinental brand in Vietnam, as well as marking it the 1,000th hotel in the Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa (EMEAA) region.
The resort is located on Phu Quoc Island, the largest island in Vietnam, off the south-west coast of Kien Giang Province. It stands near the tail end of the 20km-long Long Beach, with an exclusive private beach for guests.
Ocean View Room
The property features 459 rooms, suites and villas. Regardless of room type, guests can expect deep bathtubs, walk-in rain showers, floor-to-ceiling windows and spacious balconies.
Recreational facilities include HARNN Heritage Spa, gym, yoga and pilates classes, a choice of water sports activities, and four swimming pools. Cultural experiences such as local produce tours or nature hikes can also be arranged. Six F&B venues are available on-site, ranging from INK 360, the highest bar in Phu Quoc, to the fine-dining seafood and speciality restaurant Lava.
View of the resort
Event planners will be delighted to know the resort boasts its own conference centre with over 2,000m2 of indoor event space. The 870m2 Grand Ballroom hosts up to 600 guests for banquets, a purpose built auditorium seats 130 delegates, and multiple breakout rooms all offer state of the art audio-visual equipment. There is also wealth of pre-function space for breaks, displays or trade exhibitions, while the al fresco Beachfront Garden is ideal for banqueting in natural surroundings.
InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort is 15 minutes’ drive from Phu Quoc International Airport and 20 minutes from the main town of Duong Dong.
Raffles Hotel Singapore has appointed Ho Mun Hoong as director of events. He will oversee the management and operations of the hotel’s events team including event planning and execution.
Ho has more than 25 years of event experience in hospitality, and brings extensive meetings, social events and operational knowledge to his new role. He was most recently director of catering and conference services at the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore.
Hilton has appointed Matt Fry as senior vice president, development in Asia-Pacific (APAC), effective from August 6, 2018.
In his new role, Fry will oversee the team responsible for the overall development strategy for APAC. He will be based in Hilton’s APAC regional office in Singapore and report to Ian Carter, Hilton’s president, global development, architecture, design and construction.
Most recently, Fry served as the head of global real estate operations and Americas real estate at WeWork – a company which provides shared workspaces with a strong emphasis on community.
A seasoned professional, Fry possess over 20 years of experience in the real estate and development industry, with nearly 18 years leading teams at Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Ten out of those 18 years were based in Singapore leading Starwood’s development efforts for APAC (excluding China).
He then rose through Starwood’s ranks to senior vice president, global development, overseeing development in APAC, Europe and Latin America, and was also responsible for global oversight of feasibility and deal approval processes.
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