Sanya Exhibition Industry Association, ExpoPromoter and STATA have signed a strategic cooperation memorandum in a major step towards internationalising the tradeshow industry in the Chinese province of Hainan.
The aim is to build more effective cooperation mechanisms and information sharing channels, and enhance the effectiveness of international exhibition industry and investment in Sanya. The aim of the agreement is to help Hainan to become an internationally renowned convention and exhibition centre and conference destination.
The tripartite memorandum aims to promote the reform and development of the exhibition sector, as well as other related opportunities like strengthening the tradeshow industry in Sanya
Sanya International Culture Expo Center is a comprehensive commercial operation focused primarily on cultural exposure, including an exhibition hall and five multipurpose rooms for conferences and tradeshows. The US$203.5 million project covers a land area of 41,026m2 and a gross floor area of 114,677m2.
The entire project is scheduled to be completed and opened in 1H2019, while the expo centre is slated for completion in December 2018.
ExpoPromoter will be involved in the opening of Sanya International Culture Expo Center in December 2018 and plans to create a multilingual expo hub which would simplify the process of selling tradeshow stands as well as provide customer support on site for both exhibitors and visitors.
Ascott is accelerating its expansion in Asia by forging strategic partnerships with developers in China, Japan and Thailand, amid an aggressive expansion expected to drive inventory up 300 per cent year-on-year this quarter.
In China, Ascott has partnered speciality township developer, Riverside Group, to launch serviced residences in Zhejiang, Chongqing and future riverside themed towns in other key cities.
Four Ascott properties to come out of alliance with Ananda Development; Ananda Development’s Chanond Ruangkritya (left) with Ascott’s Kevin Goh
This strategic partnership will start with two serviced residences with a total of 350 units in Zhejiang and Chongqing. It follows Ascott’s contract with Riverside Group to manage the 190-unit Ascott Riverside Garden Beijing which opened in November last year.
In Japan, Ascott has partnered NTT Urban Development Corporation – a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation – and are currently working on two serviced apartment projects in Fukuoka and Yokohama.
Turning to Thailand, Ascott’s alliance with Ananda Development has led to the signing of four properties under the collaboration – Somerset Rama 9 Bangkok, Ascott Embassy Sathorn Bangkok, Ascott Thonglor Bangkok and one more property in Sukhumvit 8. These will offer close to 1,500 apartment units in Bangkok when they open between 2020 and 2021.
Kevin Goh, Ascott’s CEO, said: “Leveraging Ascott’s global network of close to 100,000 corporate clients, we will create significant cross-marketing opportunities across the globe for our properties to maximise returns for our partners. We are confident of achieving our global target of 80,000 units this year, and to double our portfolio to 160,000 units by 2023. We will continue to scale up through investments, strategic alliances, management contracts, leases and franchises.”
Goh added: “Serviced residences are in high demand in many parts of the world. In the first quarter of 2018, we have added over 5,000 units to Ascott’s portfolio – more than 300 per cent growth on a year-on-year basis.”
Ascott Songshan Lake Dongguan and Citadines Songshan Lake Dongguan
In addition to the 1,607 units added to its portfolio in January and February, Ascott is adding management and lease agreements for another 14 properties with about 3,400 apartment units across 10 cities in China, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia this quarter. This includes a lease agreement with department store chain, Takashimaya Company to operate the first Citadines Apart’hotel in Osaka.
With China still Ascott’s top source market, making up a quarter of customers, the company has secured eight new contracts across seven cities in China, namely for Ascott Songshan Lake Dongguan, Citadines Songshan Lake Dongguan, Citadines Putuo Xiangyi Shanghai, Somerset Golden Pebble Winery Dalian, Tujia Somerset Centreville Haikou Serviced Residence, Tujia Somerset Jinshan Lake Huizhou Serviced Residence, Harmony City Elite Apartment Nantong and Hotel Purple Hong Kong.
With the additions in China, Ascott will have over 21,500 units in 118 properties across 33 cities in the country.
Delta Air Lines and Korean Air will launch a new joint venture partnership, having gained the go-ahead from regulatory authorities in the US and South Korea.
Beginning soon, Delta and Korean Air will implement full reciprocal codeshare deal on each other’s networks and offer improved reciprocal loyalty programme benefits, including providing customers of both airlines the ability to earn more miles on Korean Air’s SkyPass and Delta’s SkyMiles.
The agreement is the latest expansion of the longstanding partnership between Delta and Korean Air
The airlines will work closely to bring customers the full benefits of the partnership, including joint growth in the trans-Pacific market, optimised schedules, a more seamless customer experience, integrated IT systems, joint sales and marketing activities, and co-location at key hubs.
The combined network formed by this partnership gives both carriers’ customers access to more than 290 destinations in the Americas and more than 80 in Asia.
G Adventures unveils new custom-built vehicles
Small-group tour operator G Adventures has invested in US$3 million in a new fleet of 16 vehicles.
The fleet of 13 large adventure vehicles and three smaller transits will hit the roads this spring. The larger of the vehicles is 8.5m-long and comfortably seats 22 people, plus two G Adventures guides who also do the driving. Each seat boasts a USB charging port, while the vehicle offers built-in Wi-Fi, eight 120-volt AC outlets, four TV screens, and extra-tall scenic windows that optimise sightseeing and picture-taking.
The vehicles will be used for G Adventures’ National Geographic Journeys tours (passenger capacity of 15) and 18-to-Thirtysomething tours (passenger capacity 22) across the US. Three smaller transit vehicle carry up to 14 passengers during each of the operator’s Classic trips across Canada and the US.
Hilton launches two Curio Collection properties
Hilton has opened its first Curio Collection-branded property in the city of Reykjavik in Iceland. The 50-key hotel boasts unique Icelandic architecture and features natural building materials, where each room is furnished with a 49-inch HD TV, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Amenities on-site include a restaurant and bar, spa, and fitness area.
Over in Paris, the Niepce Paris Hotel marks the brand’s debut in the French capital. The 1920s-inspired property is located in the Montparnasse district, and offers 52 guestrooms including three suites. Amenities on-site include the La Verriere Paris restaurant, a Café ‘N’ Bar, gym, and a 73m2 meeting room equipped with the latest technology.
AIM Group wins three congress tenders
AIM Group International, a company that organises congresses, meetings and events, has won three tenders that add to their 2018 event portfolio.
The three conferences are SIFO 2018 – XXXIX National Congress of the Italian Society of Hospital Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Services of Healthcare Companies; SICP 2018 – XV National Congress of the Italian Society of Palliative Care; and SIGG – National Congress of the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics.
SIFO will be held in November at the Mostra D’Oltremare in Naples where 1,500 delegates are anticipated; SICP will be also be held in November at the Riccione Palacongress in Italy where more than 1,300 participants are expected; while SIGG will be held at the end of November at the Auditorium della Tecnica in Rome and will gather more than 1,000 doctors.
The 139-room Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters in Australia has completed the final stage of its A$6.25 million (US$4.8 million) refurbishment.
Guestrooms have been modernised with refreshed tiles, carpet, furniture, cabinetry, fittings and artwork, while bathrooms have been updated and now feature modern décor, a spacious walk-in shower and illuminated vanity mirrors.
A refurbished room
The new design reflects the Central Australian landscape, with vibrant orange and earthy tones coming together. Rooms feature a mix of indigenous paintings and prints of local landscapes created by local indigenous artists.
Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur has appointed its general manager and director of sales & marketing ahead of the brand’s debut in Malaysia in June.
The general manager post will be filled by veteran hotelier Anders Dimblad, a Swedish national with almost two decades of experience in the luxury hospitality industry.
Anders Dimblad
Prior to joining Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, Dimblad served as vice president of hospitality in DAMAC Hotels & Resorts, Dubai. He was also previously with Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts from 2004 to 2014.
Shereen Chow has been named the hotel’s director of sales & marketing. With over 27 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Chow has held directorial positions in the area of sales and marketing at One World Hotel, The Saujana Kuala Lumpur and most recently, Hilton Worldwide’s sales office in Malaysia.
Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur will mark the brand’s debut in Malaysia. The urban resort is located in Malaysia’s capital and occupies the top seven floors of the Banyan Tree Signatures Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Building.
Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre is the city’s business events centrepiece. It sports an iconic wave design and enjoys a prime location on the Kaohsiung Harbour.
Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre, Taiwan
Beyond the meeting spaces, corridors are filled with dining, retail and art.
Its location also means delegates can easily break from indoor meetings with walks along the sea. Access is also easy through harbour cruises from the nearby terminal. For meetings with a twist, planners can hold breakout sessions at the nearby Pier 2 artistic area.
“(These) can all be easily integrated into the meeting itinerary, bringing inexpensive diversity to the programme,” opined group vice president Robert Campbell.
He added that such features have helped the centre draw in “more and more medical conferences”.
He explained: “Our venue works very well for sessions in different rooms, coffee breaks in others, sponsor booths in the aisles or other rooms, all on the same floor of a beautiful iconic building on the waterfront, with parking below and on-site kitchen for catering.”
The centre is part of the Kaohsiung MICE Alliance which comprises stakeholders from venues to academia. It will be the venue of the ICCA 2020 Congress. – Pamela Chow
Bali International Convention Centre (BICC) was designed and furnished with a strong Balinese flavour, using carved timber columns, Indonesian batik and local art works, giving the venue a sense of place in Bali.
The Lounge at Bali International Convention Centre, Indonesia
Function rooms and halls throughout the centre sport a welcoming ambience, a stark contrast from traditional convention and exhibition spaces. The Exhibition Hall, for example, overlooks a manicured garden and has an internal staircase that leads to a gallery upstairs. The Cafe sits next door, offering event attendees a contemporary and relaxing space for light bites and refreshments. In this space also stands a stone wall carved by Balinese artisans to depict scenes from ancient Hindu mythology.
Other event spaces within BICC include theatre-style Mangupura Hall which can seat 2,500 people; the auditorium with 506 built-in seats, Bali’s only tiered theatre; 26 meeting rooms; two plush VIP holding rooms; and The Lounge, which comes with a fully-stocked bar that can cater to quality social gatherings.
Being located adjacent to The Westin Resort Nusa Dua has its perks, as BICC gains high-quality F&B catering support.
As well, event delegates can easily skip to the hotel’s Heavenly Spa by Westin for a post-meeting massage or keep to their usual exercise routine at the fitness studio, double tennis court and on-site running routes.
Saraswati Subadia, aassistant director of sales and marketing for The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, said a venue often won an event bid with its “appealing environment” that planners are comfortable with.
“In our 27 years of experience in hosting small to large conferences and corporate to high-level government events, we have received many comments about our well-designed interior as well as varied support facilities,” she added. – Ade Siregar
A sprawling complex in the east of Singapore, Singapore EXPO Convention & Exhibition Centre has the luxury of space and uses it well.
Singapore EXPO Convention & Exhibition Centre, Singapore
Its 100,000m2 of column-free indoor and outdoor space offer customisable halls and rooms, as well as a wealth of dining options.
It also offers a convention wing, MAX Atria, which takes in 12,000m2 of meeting space in the form of 32 meeting rooms and an outdoor rooftop space.
MAX Atria is Singapore’s first business events facility to receive the Building & Construction Authority’s Green Mark Platinum standard for its eco-friendly building design. The wing is surrounded by lush gardens and floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing natural light to flood in.
“We take inspiration from how events are evolving. They are now in hybrid formats in order to engage attendees from all industries. Our halls and spaces are canvases of opportunity,” said Aloysius Arlando, SingEx Holdings’ CEO.
He raised the example of the carnival nature of the expo’s own event, the Singapore FinTech Festival. “We have different configurations and multimedia elements. We’ve also moved away from the two breaks/one lunch model, and brought in an all-day dining concept to let visitors eat and drink whenever they like.”
Another example is the recently held Regional General Managers Conference for McDonald’s China, for which a stage was transformed into a 360-degree spectacle.
“Event organisers are looking to venues to provide that added touch to help them make a truly ‘wow’ event and manage costs. We keep pace with technological changes, but we must also be a true partner to help curate and co-create events,” remarked Arlando.
The next big thing for Singapore EXPO, revealed Arlando, is relooking at its menu of offerings and anticipating new demands of organisers, such as all-day dining and inventive configurations of meeting spaces. – Pamela Chow
Comfort is a key consideration at Academyhills, with facilities designed with the belief that delegates who are relaxed will be more productive and engaged.
Library Café, Academyhills
Designed by world-famous architect Kengo Kuma, the conference centre occupies the 49th floor of the Roppongi Hills complex. The 559m2 Tower Hall can accommodate 500 delegates in a theatre layout, while the other nine event spaces can cater to groups of between 150 and 30 guests.
Roppongi Hills was created as an “artelligent city” – a fusion of art and intelligence – and Academyhills contributes to that as a space of “tranquil intellectual luxury,” said Keiji Kurahashi, senior manager of the Academyhills Forum Group.
“Delegates stay in conference facilities for several hours at a time and are often in a tense environment. And that is why we have incorporated visual designs of an appropriate scale and calm lighting while making the entire complex easy to navigate in order to reduce participants’ tension,” he said.
That concern for delegates’ well-being has extended to the creation of a unique chair. The WATT chair benefits from extensive ergonomic research to reduce discomfort and help delegates remain focused during long meetings.
To promote the sense of the conference centre serving as a knowledge hub, the Library Café and the hallways of Academyhills are flanked by bookshelves containing books on a myriad of subjects that can be perused by guests. Corridors are wide and dotted with comfortable chairs; the décor is warm and inviting.
Some 200m above street-level, the venue also boasts 360-degree views across the city – particularly spectacular at night – while event catering services are provided by members-only Roppongi Hills Club, which is housed in the same building. – Julian Ryall
Stuart Allison’s scope of responsibilities expanded from Australia and New Zealand to APAC
Carnival Corporation has announced leadership changes within Princess Cruises related to certain business units and its operations in Asia, including the promotion of Stuart Allison from vice president for Australia and New Zealand to senior vice president, Asia-Pacific planning and operations.
Continuing to be based in Sydney, he will be directly responsible for Carnival’s China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore business, while retaining revenue and operations oversight for the Australia and New Zealand business.
Stuart Allison’s scope of responsibilities expanded from Australia and New Zealand to APAC
He will report to Deanna Austin, newly appointed chief commercial officer for the Princess Cruises brand, who currently leads global deployment and revenue management.
In addition to her current work, Austin has assumed overall responsibility for the commercial management for the Princess Cruises brand in 12 offices in the UK, Australia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as international sales through Princess Cruises GSAs.
Austin will continue to report to Jan Swartz, group president, Princess Cruises and Carnival Australia.
As well, former executive vice president, international operations for Princess Cruises, Anthony Kaufman, has been appointed executive vice president, professional services and CFO, for four business units of Carnival Corporation – Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn and Carnival Australia.
Reporting to Stein Kruse, CEO of the four business units, Kaufman will oversee financial planning and reporting, financial analysis, accounting, tax and the financial strategy for this group.
General manager of Ramada and Days Hotels Singapore At Zhongshan Park, Tony Cousens, has been elected Skal Singapore president for the term ending 2019.
An industry veteran with a wealth of experience in Asia, Cousens has worked with hotel groups including The Jumeirah Group, Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and the Wyndham Hotel Group.
A Skal member for more than 18 years, Cousens has taken on many vital roles within the association, including as executive committee member for four years and as vice president in 2017.
In his role, Cousens will be able to contribute to the organisation’s mission statement of maximising networking opportunities and support a responsible tourism industry.
Other members in the committee are vice president, Michelle Sandhu (a self-employed consultant); honorary secretary, Andrew Jeffrey from Insider TV; honorary treasurer, Andrew Chan from ACI HR Solutions; Benoit Badufle from Horus Development & Consulting; Angeline Tang from Avis Budget Group; Ronald Sathianathan from Singapore Polytechnic; Megan Harris from William Angliss Institute and Melvyn Yap from Silverseas Cruises.
Osaka is livelier at night compared to Kyoto, and is part of the reason
Japan’s business events segment is set to get a boost, thanks to a raft of new nightlife options in major cities across the country, with more planned in the lead up to the 2020 Olympics.
The move follows a 2017 survey in which international visitors to Japan complained that tourist spots closed too early and there was a dearth of activities in the evenings.
Local governments throughout Japan are looking into creating more night-time entertainment; Osaka at night pictured
In February, business leaders in Kansai met to discuss how to develop new forms of evening entertainment, following the release of 2017 data showing more than twice as many tourists stay in Osaka than Kyoto because of Kyoto’s lack of entertainment at night.
In March, they Kyoto Convention & Visitors Bureau (KCVB) teamed up with the Kyoto Hanatouro Promotion Council and local businesses to offer a series of evening events combining a five-kilometre-long stretch of illumination to the foothills of Higashiyama, with an ikebana illuminated flower promenade and geisha performance. The event grew in popularity, and will most likely be continued.
Matthew Stevens, KCVB’s conventions and conferences specialist, described the event as “a wonderful way to enjoy night-time in Kyoto in a way that is both compatible with our community and truly magical for all who participate.” He added that the offering was suitable for corporate groups “as it is free and easy to plan for groups of all sizes”.
Meanwhile, the Osaka prefectural government is providing subsidies to seven projects to enhance the area’s nightlife. One such recipient is Club Piccadilly, which offers Friday night shows featuring ninjas.
Over in Tokyo, a number of hotels have teamed up with production companies to host evening shows featuring traditional entertainment. One organiser is Japan’s largest travel agency, JTB, which says it plans to stage performances at a permanent venue in 2019.
The capital’s Toshima Ward also launched a committee last December to discuss how to boost its evening offerings, while Fukuoka DC, an association of industry, government and academia in Kyushu, is planning to boost the city’s night entertainment in fiscal 2018.
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