The joint venture was formed to develop tradeshow business in China and Italy
A new joint venture between the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) and VNU Exhibitions Asia, which will develop tradeshows in China and Italy, has been launched following the establishment of its Board of Directors.
Based in Shanghai, the Europe Asia Global Link Exhibitions (EAGLE) will have its board helmed by chairman Corrado Facco, IEG’s managing director, while VNU president David Zhong has been named vice-chairman.
The joint venture was formed to develop tradeshow business in China and Italy
Emanuele Guido, head of group strategy & international business development at IEG, will serve as EAGLE’s director, and Shine Liu, vice president of VNU Exhibitions Asia, has taken on the role of executive director.
EAGLE will develop IEG’s business interests in the Far East in the wellness, green technology, hospitality and tourism sectors, where the Italian company is already vested. IEG currently hosts TTG Travel Experience at its Rimini Expo Centre in Italy, which this year will take place October 10-12.
For VNU Exhibition Asia, owned by Utrecht Expo, EAGLE will provide additional opportunities to consolidate its commercial relations with leading companies in East Asia.
Two EAGLE events have been scheduled for 2018. The 15th Shanghai World Travel Fair, an outbound show, will take place May 24-27, with an expected attendance of more than 500 exhibitors from around the world and 13,000 buyers and visitors, mainly from eastern China.
Travel Trade Market – a B2B event for inbound and outbound Chinese tourism operators – will take place September 5-7, in Chengdu, Sichuan.
The new venture has also concluded an agreement with the European Tourism Association to explore and secure greater commercial opportunities in the Chinese market.
Restriction is due to seat belt and air bag system, THAI says
Your waistline now matters when flying business class on Thai Airways’ (THAI) new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, The Nation reports.
Passengers with waist wider than 56 inches cannot be accommodated by the new safety belts and airbag system in accordance with the safety standards of the US Federal Aviation Administration, Pratthana Pattanasirim, THAI’s director of security and flight standard division, explained.
He added that the seat belt likewise cannot accommodate parents with child sitting on their lap.
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s (TCEB) latest China roadshow swept into Shenzhen last week, drawing the attendance of 71 senior executives from 52 MICE travel agencies.
The event at The Ritz Carlton Shenzhen allowed TCEB to highlight new business events developments in Thailand as well as the bureau’s new campaign, Meet by Design.
Representatives from the Kingdom included 24 industry and strategic partners.
Nooch Homrossukhon, TCEB director of meetings & incentives department, expects the Shenzhen roadshow to generate 40 business leads, with a value of 600 million baht (US$19.2 million) for the Thai economy.
Concept Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the city, our group of 70 people, led by trained safari guides, was taken deep into the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve on 4×4 vehicles.
We travelled convoy style in 14 vehicles with our driver making sure that we were all wearing safety belts before the journey started. He also pointed out where the barf bags are, and I quickly understood why once we hit the dunes.
Rolling over the sand dunes
As we drove up and down the dunes, we first timers were clinging on to the rails for dear life. It was similar to being in a rollercoaster hurtling left and ride at every turn. Thrilling as it was, we felt safe in the hands of our experienced driver.
While whizzing through the reserve, I was lucky to spot a gazelle, Oryx and a sand fox.
MICE application Arabian Adventures, the local DMC that arranged for our safari experience, can customise programmes according to the organisers’ wishes and budget.
Our group, for example, stopped after a 25 minute drive so that everyone could get down, stretch their legs and get a breather. Many used this opportunity to take selfies and wefies in the desert.
We then continued on to the next stop, where carpets and cushions were laid out for us to kick back and take in the picturesque view of the sun setting in the west. Here, we were served drinks and snacks, and treated to a live demonstration of how a falcon hunts.
This was followed by a third and final stop in the desert. It was set up as a traditional Bedouin-style camp where we enjoyed a feast of grilled meats, fresh salads and a wide selection of Middle Eastern dishes. A belly dancer also entertained guests. Participants could also choose to get their hands painted with henna, or enjoy a camel ride.
Service The whole trip was well-organised, the service was excellent and the food was delicious. Our guides always placed safety and comfort of their guests as their top consideration and made sure we had a great time.
Contact
Arabian Adventures
Tel: (971) 4274 8754
Email: tours@arabian-adventures.com
Hilton Kuala Lumpur has appointed Gagan Talwar as hotel manager, replacing Linda Pecoraro who has been promoted to general manager of Hilton Kota Kinabalu.
In this new position, Talwar will support regional general manager Jamie Mead by overseeing the operations and leading the management at Hilton Kuala Lumpur.
Talwar returns to Malaysia after six years from leading the operations and business development team in Hilton Hanoi Opera and Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi.
Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) has appointed Rob Weeden as general manager for Pan Pacific Perth.
Prior to joining PPHG, he was vice president, sales and marketing at Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, and was based out of Dubai, UAE since 2012.
The experienced hospitality professional has held leadership positions both domestically and abroad, over a career that has spanned more than 25 years. He has headed up Shangri-La Hotel Cairns and Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur as general manager in 2008 and 2011 respectively, as well as worked as director of sales and marketing for several properties under the group in Malaysia and Australia.
Australia’s multi-billion dollar business events industry has received a huge boost with the creation of a national bid fund, making A$12 million (US$9.5 million) available over the next three years to support bids for new, high-value international incentive, association, and exhibition events.
From July 1, 2018, Tourism Australia will extend its existing support of the Australian business events industry through the Business Events Bid Fund Program (BFP).
Association of Australian Convention Bureaux’s Andrew Hiebl; Tourism Australia’s Penny Lion; Minister for trade, tourism and investment Steven Ciobo; EEAA’s Joyce DiMascio; Melbourne Convention Bureau’s Karen Bolinger at the Destination Australia Conference
Managed by Tourism Australia’s business events unit, Business Events Australia, BFP is designed to increase conversion of business for Australia by offering financial support at the critical bidding stage of new international business events. Funds will only be provided for qualified international business events once the event is confirmed and contracted for Australia.
The new bid fund will support expenditure on goods and services that assist in the delivery of events, for example accommodation or venue hire costs.
A prospectus for the new bid programme is available online at www.australia.com/businessevents and it outlines the mandatory eligibility criteria required to make a submission as well as a checklist and full terms and conditions.
Applications can be submitted via www.australia.com/businesseventsfrom May 1, 2018, with access to the funds for successful applications available from July 1, 2018.
Announcing the new BFP, federal minister for trade, tourism and investment, Steven Ciobo, said: “Business events travellers are high yielding, spending on average twice as much as a leisure visitor, often extending their visit to regional parts of Australia and returning for a holiday in the future; making them crucial to the broader Australian economy.”
John O’Sullivan, managing director of Tourism Australia, said that being able to offer financial incentives to help convert bids of national significance into confirmed business would allow Australia to compete more aggressively with the many destinations that already operated national bid funds.
“Australia risks losing market share to our competitors if our business events industry is not able to compete on a level playing field. That’s why the new Tourism Australia Business Events Bid Fund Program is a game-changer, allowing us to grow our competitive advantage in this critical and lucrative segment of the visitor economy,” O’Sullivan said.
Tourism Australia already supports the Australian business events industry through its marketing communications and distribution development activities, including the Advance Program which supports delegate acquisition activities for existing international business events taking place in Australia.
The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) has welcomed the announcement.
EEAA’s chief executive, Joyce DiMascio, said the industry has been campaigning for many years for the Federal Government to make a bigger commitment to leverage Australia’s potential as a place for business events.
“This is a step in the right direction and will help boost Australia’s capacity to attract events to Australia.
“We are particularly pleased the bid fund is designed to be “agnostic” and will be open to all types of business events including exhibitions – provided they meet the criteria and can demonstrate clear ROI in international delegates and attendees and spending of over A$3 million,” DiMascio said in a statement.
China, Hong Kong and Indonesia have emerged as top Asian destinations in the 2018 Special Destinations Report produced by Pacific World and ACCESS.
The report profiles top destinations and explores why they are attracting so much interest among event planners.
Pacific World predicts a rise in interest for remote islands of Komodo and Flores in Indonesia; Padar Island, Komodo National Park pictured
Overall, Spain is the most popular, gaining over 15% of Pacific World’s RFPs worldwide. Elsewhere in Europe, the UK, France, Italy and Monaco follow closely behind Spain with 11%, 9%, 8% and 6% of all RFPs received respectively.
In Asia, China tops the list receiving 15% of the requests, followed by Hong Kong (13%), Indonesia (12.5%) and Thailand (11.5%).
In Asia, the hotel boom of China, especially in second-tier cities, has been instrumental in drawing meetings and incentive groups. The growth of the Chinese middle-class consumer and relocation of manufacturing plants have made way for many more mid-scale and budget hotels, which in turn provide more event spaces. Some popular off-the-beaten-track destinations in China include Chengdu and Yunnan.
In Indonesia, Bali will continue to be a hit, but the island of Lombok is gaining interest thanks to its burgeoning infrastructure and unique cultural and natural heritage. Split programmes that combine new areas of Bali and Lombok are demanded on a more regular basis. In the upcoming years, Pacific World predicts a rise in interest for the remote islands of Komodo and Flores, currently attracting leisure programmes with their unique fauna, flora and culture.
“More and more, we keep seeing interest for off-the-beaten-track programmes and destinations. While known destinations are still preferred for incentives, unique experiences are now in demand. This can be visiting remote places, engaging with local people in a more dynamic way, enjoying the unexpected, or having the feeling of being the first person to visit a particular place,” said Patricia Silvio, global marketing manager of Pacific World.
Madrid Fusión Manila 2017 edition. Photo credit: Madrid Fusión Manila Facebook
Originally planned for April, the fourth year of premier gastronomic event Madrid Fusion Manila is put on hold following its sudden transfer from the Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT) to the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB).
TPB is negotiating with Spain-based Foro de Debate, owner of the Madrid Fusion franchise, for the new date of the event, according to Maricon Ebron, TPB’s officer-in-charge, office of the deputy chief operating officer for marketing and promotions sector.
Madrid Fusión Manila 2017 edition. Photo credit: Madrid Fusión Manila Facebook
Ebron commented that it is now too late to hold it in April as TPB has yet to issue the tenders for the event management and venue, which in the last three years went to the Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers (PACEOS) and SMX Convention Center Manila, respectively.
Holding it in end-July or early-August is in doubt as well because it will clash with mega event World Food Expo. TPB and Foro de Debate are also concerned about the availability of foreign chefs to participate in Madrid Fusion Manila.
Pamela Samaniego, DoT’s project director for Madrid Fusion Manila 2018, explained that the handling of the gastronomy event was transferred to TPB since the latter is responsible for the venue and event management bids, a standard procedure for government agencies.
The gastronomy event has helped put underrated Filipino cuisine and ingredients onto the international table, gaining the attention of critics and foodies alike as the next big food trend.
All parties will promote Qantas services via Singapore
Qantas, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) have announced a S$5 million (US$3.8 million) partnership to promote Singapore as a destination and connecting gateway to Asia, Europe and Australia.
With the return of Qantas’ Sydney-London services via Singapore from March 25, the three-year MoU that will see all parties work on joint marketing campaigns in Australia, the UK and South-east Asia to promote travel on Qantas services via Singapore.
All parties will promote Qantas services via Singapore
According to a joint statement from the partners, London is Changi’s busiest longhaul destination. With Qantas’ new flights, Changi will offer 53 weekly services (about 19,600 one-way weekly seats) between Singapore and London. Changi Airport is also the most connected international airport to Australia, both in terms of the number of city links and weekly seats available.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the partnership is aimed at boosting the number of people travelling through Singapore from key markets in Australia and the UK.
“Singapore is Qantas’ largest hub outside of Australia, carrying more than 20 per cent of our wide body fleet. It is a cornerstone city in our international network strategy and plays an important role in our ability to respond to the incredible growth we are seeing in travellers from Asia.
Joyce expects the deal will allow Qantas to better leverage its partner network in the region, which includes three Jetstar branded carriers that connect to its flights through Changi.
STB’s chief executive Lionel Yeo said that the partnership presents an opportunity to drive more visitor arrivals to Singapore and raise its destination profile.
“Australia and the UK have always been important source markets for Singapore, ranking fifth and 12th respectively in 2017. The addition of more Qantas services, especially the return of the iconic Kangaroo Route, is set to draw even more visitors from the two countries.
In 2017, Changi Airport handled 62.2 million passenger movements, with about 30 per cent of its passengers transiting through the airport.
And with today’s travellers becoming more selective, Changi Airport Group CEO Lee Seow Hiang said the partnership is a timely way to help differentiate Singapore as a stopover point and destination.
The newly-opened Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok anchors the One Bangkok development with cosmopolitan elegance. Featuring the city's largest ballroom and a spectacular new penthouse suite, it delivers exceptional hardware and deeply authentic, soulful service for business and leisure travellers alike
Behind the imposing, Brutalist concrete that defines Zurich’s Oerlikon district lies a surprising secret. While its exterior honours the neighbourhood’s industrial roots, stepping inside Mama Shelter reveals a vibrant, neon-soaked world that is a far cry from its rigid shell
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
Originally planned for April, the fourth year of premier gastronomic event Madrid Fusion Manila is put on hold following its sudden transfer from the Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT) to the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB).
TPB is negotiating with Spain-based Foro de Debate, owner of the Madrid Fusion franchise, for the new date of the event, according to Maricon Ebron, TPB’s officer-in-charge, office of the deputy chief operating officer for marketing and promotions sector.
Ebron commented that it is now too late to hold it in April as TPB has yet to issue the tenders for the event management and venue, which in the last three years went to the Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers (PACEOS) and SMX Convention Center Manila, respectively.
Holding it in end-July or early-August is in doubt as well because it will clash with mega event World Food Expo. TPB and Foro de Debate are also concerned about the availability of foreign chefs to participate in Madrid Fusion Manila.
Pamela Samaniego, DoT’s project director for Madrid Fusion Manila 2018, explained that the handling of the gastronomy event was transferred to TPB since the latter is responsible for the venue and event management bids, a standard procedure for government agencies.
The gastronomy event has helped put underrated Filipino cuisine and ingredients onto the international table, gaining the attention of critics and foodies alike as the next big food trend.