William Haandrikman has been picked for the dual role of general manager of the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, and AccorHotels’s area general manager in North Vietnam. He was last general manager of Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit.
Cheong Hai Poh
Cheong Hai Poh is now general manager of Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore. He brings with him 28 years of international hospitality experience.
Multiculturalism at its finest
Event brief
Whip up a wow event – that was the key request that Morinda China made, when the international health supplement company selected Singapore’s World Express as the organiser.
This four-night incentive trip to Singapore was to be created for more than 150 of Morinda’s top distributors.
Challenges
Besides the wow factor, Morinda wanted activities that “retained the local and authentic flavour of Singapore”, explained Darren Tan, managing director of World Express.
This had to be executed while keeping in mind that the participants were staying in the Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa, away from the main city sights. Furthermore, World Express had to find an engaging way for the social media-savvy group to share their experiences with other Morinda staff back home, in part as motivation for future incentive trips.
All these requests came in with a short lead time of less than three months, said Tan.
Solutions
World Express saw this event as a opportunity to creatively introduce Singapore to the 150 participants.
Tan elaborated: “Every part of the programme – from welcome gifts and collaterals, to excursions and dinners – was an opportunity to showcase Singapore’s unique multiracial heritage and multifaceted attractions.”
The agency took advantage of the resort’s proximity to Sentosa’s key attractions such as the SEA Aquarium and Universal Studios Singapore (USS), and hosted the welcome and farewell dinners there.
But the organisers took the event a step further. They worked with USS to prepare a special yusheng for Morinda – even though it wasn’t Chinese New Year – to give them a taste of local tradition.
World Express also weaved elements of teambuilding into the city tours, which took participants to Arab Street, Bugis and Little India. On these tours, the staff sampled different cuisines at various stops. This was a unique arrangement that substantially reduced costs, revealed Tan.
Along the way, the team provided seamless Wi-Fi connectivity for the participants to stay connected to friends and family back home. It also allowed the group to update their social media on the go.
Key takeaways
Despite having a short preparation time, World Express rallied its team and resources to execute an unforgettable retreat for Morinda. In recognition of their efforts, the company recently picked up the Best Meeting/Incentive Organiser at the Singapore Tourism Awards.
When asked what lessons could be learnt from the organising of this event, Tan shared: “Creativity and out-of-the-box solutions are what millennial organisers and participants are looking for. Our proposals need to be highly personalised, and be in line with popular trends.”
Having a “young and open-minded MICE team that is flexible” proved imperative in winning the trust of clients, added Tan, and this ultimately played into World Express’ strength as a “truly Singapore-grown DMC with an authentic flavour”.
One size may be able to fit all
Event brief
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has introduced a Corporate Mix-in Night for companies (with at least 500 guests) to share the park with other business groups of similar size, on select dates. This is in addition to a park buyout package that caters to groups above 6,000.
For example, on October 1, 2016, its Mix-in Night hosted 10 different organisations from a mix of industries, such as chemicals, technology, construction, banking and insurance, and education. In total, there were about 13,000 guests, and group sizes ranged from 500 to 3,000. Participating companies made use of the buyout to hold corporate gatherings and team-engagement activities, while thanking their staff and partners.
Aside from enjoying private access to Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point from 17.30 onwards, there were a series of exclusive buyout entertainment offerings such as a preview of Disney Halloween Time, and Star Wars: Tomorrowland Takeover, where children in the group were able to hone their lightsaber skills with Jedi masters to confront Darth Vader and Kylo Ren at the Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple session.
To create a holistic Disney experience, hotel, F&B and shopping discounts were offered to all guests.
Challenges
There was no single formula to fit all clients and the park had to tackle with various requests from the 10 companies.
For example, four groups chose to upgrade the tickets to full-day tickets while the rest ran their programmes at the buyout pre-set time of 16.00 to 23.00.
Special arrangement also had to made for ASM Technology, the second largest group, where spaces were reserved for the children in the group to participate in the Mickey & Friends Costume Party.
As well, a 30-minute company programme – which involved a march-in of VVIPs accompanied by Disney characters, followed by speeches and a lucky draw – had to be arranged for the largest group at Storybook Theater. It then ended with the Mickey and the Wondrous Book musical.
Meanwhile, the park also made reservations for a VIP room in City Hall, to facilitate a Facebook live video for a group from Standard Chartered. The group also conducted a lucky draw, which was done in front of a Disney Halloween Time backdrop.
Another challenge for the Mix-in night was that reception counters at designated locations had to be arranged, and manned by the various companies’ own staff, for registration and the distribution of tickets.
Solutions
Tailored treatments can be creatively arranged according to group, enabling companies to better brand their event and provide a unique experience for their stakeholders, despite having to share the park with other groups.
Key takeaways
The Corporate Mix-in Night programme has lowered the threshold significantly, and this makes a buyout event accessible to more companies. Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is encouraged by the results, and hopes to explore more opportunities by applying this concept to other seasonal events.
Event: Corporate Mix-in Night
Organisers: Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
Venue: Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
Date: October 1, 2016
Number of participants: 12,880 guests
Vishal Sinha
Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) has appointed Vishal Sinha as CEO of CWT India, based in Gurgaon. Sinha has more than 20 years of experience in the travel industry, and was last chief operating officer of TUI India.
Plataran L’Harmonie
Concept Plataran L’Harmonie boasts a coastline of more than seven kilometres and is home to more than 175 species of flora and 167 species of birds, including the Bali Starling (Leucopsar Rothschildi). It is fascinating to know that Plataran L’Harmonie conserves many endangered species of flora and birds.
The natural attraction also offers a series of programmes called Plataran Encounters which work great for corporate groups.
MICE application One of the experiences offered under Plataran Encounters is the Safari Picnic, which introduces participants to the natural habitat of Plataran L’Harmonie through a guided tour led by a ranger.
The tour takes no more than 20 people, and the group is further divided into teams of four or five. Armed with trail maps, each team will be tasked with identifying trees or flowers and the parts used for specific purposes, such as as medicine or cosmetics. The challenge would include the use of mobile phones to solve a riddle and take photos of the plant in question.
At the end of the trail, participants will enjoy a picnic lunch prepared by Plataran Menjangan Resort & Spa at a special spot in the forest, near the beach.
Service The jungle trail I took with my group comprised mostly flat land, which made for an easy walk. Our guide was very knowledgeable and he made our experience fun by mimicking the calls of a particular bird. So perfect was his imitation that we heard chirps in response.
The picnic at the end of the trip was presented with a variety of food placed in the centre of a mat and with many cushions strewn around for us to rest on. It was a splendid arrangement.
Contact
Website: www.plataran.com
Land of business and pleasure
A growing number of Asian incentive and business groups have been heading to Dubai in recent years, lured by the city’s varied offerings for adventure-led corporate teambuilding and incentive programmes.
For instance, visitors can explore the rolling sand dunes as part of a desert safari with an expert guide, and experience the nation’s culture and heritage through falconry and camel riding. They can also taste authentic Arabian cuisine, get traditional henna tattoos drawn on their hands, indulge in the popular Arabic pastime of shisha, and watch an oriental belly dance.
Steen Jakobsen, director, Dubai Business Events, enthused: “No Arabian experience is complete without an escape into the desert. The desert safari is a spectacular combination of ancient Arabian traditions and modern culture.”
Justine Thomas Butler, Arabian Adventures’ MICE manager, said Asian clients particularly enjoyed experiencing Bedouin culture such as catching a traditional Ayala performance, aside from visiting photogenic destinations like Burj Al Arab.
When asked about what other adventure activities the city could offer, Butler suggested: “Groups can race around the iconic World Islands from country to country by boat, have a desert Olympics in the Dubai Desert and Conservation Reserve surrounded by 200m-high sand dunes, or enjoy a treasure hunt across Dubai, exploring both new and ancient parts of the city, including the bustling spice and gold souks.”
“The largest (group I have handled) so far was a group of 14,500 people from China in 2014. (Their itinerary included) a sunset desert safari complete with camel racing, as well as a shisha tent,” she added.
With several large groups from Asia confirmed for both incentives and events over the next 12 months, Butler expects to see a five to 10 per cent growth from the Asian incentives and events market, stating that it has “become easier for guests from China, in particular, to visit”.
Although China represents a significant opportunity, Butler added: “South Korea, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia have all shown increasing awareness and interest in the UAE as a new and exciting MICE destination.”
To obtain more business, the company actively participates in business development and sales missions both to and from the region.
Samir Hamadeh, general manager of Alpha Tours, shared a similar sentiment, indicating that for Asian markets, his company usually tries to incorporate a cultural experience.
Alpha Tours, which now has offices in Seoul and three cities in India, is also busy running sales trips and roadshows, in an effort to keep in touch with key players and decision makers from Asia.
“We are working on some solid leads for groups above 1,500 pax for 4Q2017 and 1Q2018. As such, 2018 looks very positive for us. We recently concluded the Amway Korea Leadership Seminar Incentive in March this year, which brought 3,600 people to Dubai,” Hamadeh pointed out.
Jakobsen concurred: “2017 is a strong year in terms of incentive trips that have taken place or are booked to be hosted in Dubai. We have already welcomed groups from Amway Korea and JDCK, bringing 3,600 and 3,700 visitors respectively, while later this year Amway India will bring 4,500 visitors.”
Hotels in Dubai are also seeing an uptick in incentive groups and business events originating from Asia.
For instance, Bill Keffer, general manager of JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, shared: “Although our primary source market is still the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council states), we have witnessed a 46 per cent growth in Asia, and demand from China also rose year-on-year by 13.4 per cent.”
As a result, the 1,368-key hotel is focusing on China, Japan and South Korea for incentive groups.
While the hotel does not organise activities, Keffer stressed that it has a great relationship with several DMCs and event planning firms that will work together to design adventure-led programmes.
He added: “The central location of the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai means that most of the city’s activities and attractions are just a short drive away, so that a wide range of adventure-led off-site corporate teambuilding can be planned for groups.”
Jumeirah Group’s director of sales – groups, Tahir Ciyanci, also told TTGmice that business events and incentives from Asia have been growing year-on-year. Across the group, 20 per cent of all business events come from Asia, and the group is ready to welcome them with over 3,200 rooms and more than 30,000m2 of meeting spaces across Dubai. Its latest offering is the Burj Al Arab Terrace which opened last year. Spanning 10,000m2, the space can host up to 600 guests. As well, Madinat Jumeriah has recently launched Virtual Planner, a booking tool that provides planners with information on all venues within the hotel.
To court more Asian events, Jumeirah Group will conduct joint activities with local and international agencies, Dubai Business Events and national carriers.
Ciyanci added: “We will build relations with key partners through Jumeriah MICE appreciation events in China throughout the year, and secure marketing exposure in industry publications.”
“Dubai is a city that is constantly evolving, and there are currently numerous plans in place to not only further enhance existing attractions, but also open new ones in the years to come,” concluded Jakobsen.
InterContinental Bali Resort
InterContinental Bali Resort has completed the first phase of its renovation project, breathing new life into the Singaraja Wing, Grand Kencana ballroom and Sayana Lounge.
Rooms Singaraja Wing takes in 112 rooms out of the hotel’s total inventory of 417 keys, and has its own lounge.
Following the renovation, guestrooms here feature an even stronger Balinese architectural flavour. These features are found in wall murals inspired by traditional textile patterns as well as bed headboards with carvings similar to geometric lattice seen on traditional Balinese doorways.
The refreshed rooms now come with enhanced consumer technology such as a smart IPTV with a 43-inch screen, high-speed Internet connection and a messaging system for guest services.
New too are some eco-friendly initiatives, such as a sensor that tweaks room temperature according to the presence of occupants and as well as automatic lights. In the bathroom, taps are set to low water flow. Good initiative, although I personally prefer a stimulating power shower.
MICE facilities The Grand Kencana ballroom has been given fresh carpets and a brighter shade for walls and ceilings.
The ballroom, good for 600 pax receptions or 420 pax banquets, is joined by five other function rooms and a host of attractive outdoor venues that can support a variety of events. The indoor spaces are fitted with a permanent stage, wide-screen displays and audiovisual equipment, and come with a dedicated control room and banquet kitchen.
Adding to the hotel’s events prowess is a team of event specialists who can help clients with business gatherings and teambuilding programmes.
Other facilities Six F&B outlets, six pools, tennis courts, a 24-hour fitness centre, a spa and Planet Trekkers childcare facility make up the hotel’s lifestyle offerings.
Sayana Lounge is now larger, providing more room for guests who need a place to rest or freshen up before a later flight. It is equipped with large lockers for suitcases, shower rooms and sitting areas.
Room count: 417
Star rating: Five
Contact:
Email: bali@ihg.com
Website: intercontinental.com/Bali
Club Med rolls out reward programme for event referees
Club Méditerranée (Club Med) Hong Kong has started a group referral programme for the Hong Kong market on July 5, aimed at rewarding those who recommend group bookings at Club Med properties that are eventually materialised.
The larger the materialised group, the better the referee reward.
For instance, a recommendation that leads to a group of 50 to 99 delegates staying at a Club Med property will earn the referee two free nights for two guests in a Club Med resort in China. A group of more than 500 delegates will earn the referee a five-night stay in any Club Med property in China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, the Maldives and the French Alps.
The programme is expected to run until end-2017, but business development manager – MICE, Julien Hauss said it could be extended into 2018 should market feedback be good. At press time, Hauss said the reward programme has generated many leads.
Meanwhile, the Club Med MICE website will be made available in traditional Chinese soon.
Conrad gets new address in Osaka’s skies
The 164-room Conrad Osaka – the brand’s first in western Japan and the second in the entire country – sits on a prime stretch between Umeda and Namba district and across the highest floors of the mixed-use Nakanoshima Festival Complex.
Facilities within the five-star property satisfy both leisure and business travellers – four restaurants and lounges, a bar, a spa and salon, a 24-hour fitness centre and a 20m-long heated indoor pool.
For meeting groups, the luxury hotel offers two ballrooms, one boardroom and one divisible meeting room – all located on the 38th floor and equipped with the latest event technology. All function spaces are pillar-free too, with abundant natural daylight.
The largest ballroom can accommodate up to 100 guests for banquets or 180 people in theatre setup. It comes with a private foyer and spiral staircase.
Participants of residential meetings are promised a memorable stay in guestrooms bearing a contemporary design infused with traditional Japanese elements. All rooms promise views of the river or Osaka cityscape.
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