Bintan Lagoon Resort (BLR) has created a Rojak meeting package – so named after the savoury-sweet fruit and vegetable salad popular in South-east Asia.
Bintan Lagoon Resort
It comprises:
• One-night accommodation with breakfast
• Return direct ferry via Mozaic Ferry Lines to/fro Singapore
• Return land transfer from ferry terminal to resort
• Welcome drinks upon arrival
• Complimentary usage of main meeting room for up to eight hours with coffee break
• Lunch at Fiesta buffet restaurant
• Complimentary stretching session during coffee break
• Complimentary Wi-Fi for all guests
• Complimentary use of one LCD Projector and screen, one whiteboard or two flipcharts with markers
• Complimentary use of PA system with microphones with minimum attendance of 40 persons
• Complimentary flow of water, mints, writing materials
• Free cover charge to Silk Nightclub from Wednesday to Sunday night
• Access to Powerhouse Gym, billiard/snooker, tennis, basketball, futsal, badminton, beach volleyball, beach soccer, mahjong, board games, and darts.
Package rates at a minimum booking of 10 rooms are S$205 nett (US$152) per person for single occupancy or S$155 nett per person for twin/triple share occupancy.
The package is available till December 15, 2017 for both booking and travel.
Top-up rates apply for add ons.
Email reservations@bintanlagoon.com.
Following an extensive redesign and refurbishment, the iconic Plaza Athénée Bangkok, A Royal Méridien Hotel has revealed a new look and name. Now called The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok, the opulent property features a blend of contemporary and authentic Thai design elements that reflects the building’s heritage as the former royal residence of the late Princess Valaya Alongkorn, daughter of Chulalongkorn, King Rama V and the aunt of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX.
The Athenee Hotel
The refurbished 374 guestrooms at The Athenee Hotel incorporate elements of local culture and royal heritage. The Royal Club floor suites have also been redecorated using royal blue and grey.
The Rain Tree Café has been given a new design and layout, plus a new Valaya Room where guests can enjoy a leisurely breakfast or private gathering. Also new are The Secret Garden and The Bakery.
The Athenee Hotel outdoor pool area and function space on the fourth floor have been redesigned as a tranquil oasis in the heart of downtown Bangkok.
Located on the sixth floor, the multi-functional Atheneum Meeting Rooms and Lounge provide the perfect venue for stimulating business events and memorable social gatherings, enhanced by themed coffee break with cuisine inspired by the Princess Valaya Alongkorn’s global travel.
The Athenee Hotel holds the distinction of being the first hotel in the world to achieve ISO 20121 certification for planning and delivering sustainable events.
If you reside in a city, chances are you’d have come across a public exhibition featuring eye-catching decorated statues of elephants big and small, some crafted by local and international celebrities, others reflecting culture and history of the host destination.
These beautiful elephant masterpieces belong to Elephant Parade, an international organisation that uses art to raise awareness of elephant welfare and conservation needs.
Elephant Parade’s parades of elephants have so far made their way to Antwerp, London, Milan, Singapore and Hong Kong – just to name a few. This year the striking elephant art pieces make their way to Jaipur, Delhi and Mumbai in India, in hopes of generating vital funds to secure 101 elephant corridors across India for the endangered Asian elephant.
But more than just running these popular exhibitions, Elephant Parade has several ways for corporate groups to get involved in its mission.
Companies looking for an opportunity to meet its corporate social responsibility objectives can sign up for sponsorship packages, purchase products that will make unique and meaningful corporate gifts for event delegates or clients, or arrange art activities as part of a meeting programme.
An example of the latter: meeting planners can organise a bonding activity anywhere in Bangkok where delegates, placed in groups, work together to paint a small elephant statue. All completed art works could be kept as souvenirs by the host company, or arranged to be auctioned off, with sales proceeds going towards Elephant Parade’s nominated conservation projects.
Corporate groups can also pay a visit to Elephant Parade’s factory in Chiang Mai.
Geographical advantage, global connectivity and destination appeal continue to position Hong Kong as a regional magnet for business events, especially mega direct-selling events.
One mega win that Hong Kong is most proud of is the Unicity Global Leadership and Innovation Conference 2018, the first edition to be held in the destination. The event will be attended by about 17,000 overseas delegates.
Hong Kong Observation Wheel
Hong Kong is making progress on the association meetings front too. It will host some major medical conferences in the coming months, starting with the Asia Pacific Digestive Week from September 23 to 26 2017. This will be followed by at least 10 medical events, of which eight are first for Hong Kong or Asia. Three of the largest gatherings are the 33rd Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress 2018 (February), Spine Summit 2018 (March) and 22nd International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders (October), bringing over 15,000 medical professionals from all over the world to Hong Kong.
According to latest statistics, Hong Kong welcomed 857,022 MICE arrivals in 1H2017, up 3.4 per cent year-on-year. Unsurprisingly, China was the strongest performing source market for Hong Kong, with arrivals up by 6.1 per cent.
Despite Hong Kong’s success in business events, there is still much to be done especially considering the number of challenges facing the destination’s convention bureau – stiff competition among CVBs around the world; many Asian destinations have lowered their barrier to entry for Chinese visitors, eating into the much in demand China pie; depreciation of the other currencies against the Hong Kong dollar reduce the destination’s competitive edge.
Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), general manager MICE & Cruise, Kenneth Wong, said: “To enrich Hong Kong’s appeal, the government has earmarked an additional funding of HK$243 million to support the tourism industry in the year 2017/2018.
“Meanwhile, connectivity between Hong Kong and the mainland will be enhanced in the coming years with the establishment of new infrastructures, such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the China–Hong Kong Express Rail Link. These will not only provide mainland visitors with easier access to Hong Kong, they will also facilitate overseas visitors’ travel to the mainland via Hong Kong, consolidating our position as the gateway to the mainland.”
While HKTB is upbeat about the future, a Langham Hong Kong spokesperson told TTGmice that the hotel has only seen moderate growth in 1H2017 and forward bookings in the second half and 2018 appears to be sluggish.
“As the city operates a linked currency exchange rate to the US dollar, the strength of the latter has made Hong Kong a pricey destination for events in comparison with other Asian destinations, particularly those in South-east Asia,” said the spokesperson.
JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong has also reported smaller business events coming into the hotel this year compared to the last. Director of group sales, Olivia Lui, said that the “softer market” could be a result of various major world events, such as the US presidential election and the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China rule.
However, Lui added that her team is optimistic about the remaining months of 2017, with some last minute event bookings likely to come.
Also, attention is now on meetings conducted by education, insurance and medical industries which are “least impacted by global economic and political turmoil”, she said.
A more positive performance was reported by InterContinental Grand Stanford’s director of sales & marketing, Ulysses Leung.
“Business enquiries from shorthaul markets have increased compared to previous years, especially from Japan,” said Leung, adding that event enquiries tended to rise during a a low airfare period.
Leung also shared her observations of an increased demand among clients for non-traditional event proposals that feature new concepts and ideas and more technology being used.
She welcomes this trend, saying that venue providers will now have to compete on creativity instead of price, elevating event quality in Hong Kong.
Maxine Howe, director of sales and marketing for The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel, a property slated to open in late-2017, has also observed the same growing interest in “unconventional and intriguing meeting spaces”.
Howe expects her hotel to do well once it is open for event bookings in mid-January 2018, as the property offers “several unique venues, both indoor and outdoors, with landscaped areas which are rare in Hong Kong”.
Faces of Hong Kong’s CEO Ivy Sung lamented that the challenge is real for her team to fulfil “client’s requests for unique, extraordinary, (new-to-market) venues that are also affordable”.
“We hope that our government will continue to be supportive of tourism development especially for the high-end market,” said Sung.
The demand for meetings with eco-friendly and sustainable elements, such as organic food and environmentally friendly amenities, are on the uptick in Asia-Pacific.
One of the main drivers is an increasing emphasis on healthy eating and well-being that is “top-of-mind” for millennial employees, said Rupert Hallam, Hilton’s vice president, sales, Asia-Pacific.
Hallam: wellness and well-being are increasingly important
He shared that elements such as relaxing spa corners, refillable glass bottles, and locally sourced food have been well-received by clients of Hilton’s Meet with Purpose programme.
Launched in June, the package offers aspects such as healthy morning yoga and stretch classes, sustainably sourced meals served on dishware made of recycled materials, and the option to join the hotel chain’s carbon emissions offset initiative.
In some Hilton hotels, such as Hilton Pattaya and Hilton Singapore, a portion of produce is grown in and harvested from in-house vertical farms.
Hallam added that, contrary to popular belief, there is no extra cost for the Meet with Purpose programme as compared to the regular meeting packages.
He also noted that sustainable and health-conscious events are not simply a trend but a movement, and may spur bigger changes such as more hydroponic farms within hotel properties, an increase in support for local communities, and greater farm-to-table awareness.
He predicts that, going forward, companies will begin to adopt an “employee-first” mindset that will propel the push for wellness and well-being in corporate meetings.
The Ritz-Carlton Langkawi is pulling out all stops to increase its share of business events, which currently forms 20 per cent of its business mix.
Director of sales & marketing, Zulkifli Rahman, told TTGmice that the hotel is currently working with partners such as The Els Club Teluk Datai, inbound DMCs, overseas outbound agents, as well as airlines that fly to Langkawi to promote the destination as a high-end business events destination.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi’s grand ballroom
Currently, it has confirmed meetings and incentives booked up to June 2018, most of which are from the region, as well as China and Japan, revealed Zulkifli. Clients include the banking sector, retail industry and incentive groups.
This 119-key luxury property that overlooks the Andaman Sea and boasts a 10-million-year-old rainforest as a backdrop, is the latest luxury property on the island. It is located a 15 minutes’ drive from the Langkawi International Airport.
Its meeting facilities include a grand ballroom that can take 430 people in theatre-style, and be divided into three smaller meeting rooms. Meanwhile, the ballroom’s pre-function area is outdoors and offers a view of the rainforest.
However, as a second-tier business events destination, there are challenges.
For instance, Zulkifli pointed out that Langkawi needed more direct flights from overseas.
He explained: “It would go a long way if there were direct flights from the Middle Eastern carriers, as this would also help us promote Langkawi as a business events destination to Europeans and Latin Americans.”
Zulkifli also opined that more infrastructure such as high-end restaurants for groups of 80 to 100 people, and more contractors with high-end coaches based in Langkawi, were needed. Currently for large groups, coaches have to be hired from Kuala Lumpur and this drives up the cost.
“Langkawi also competes with Bali and Phuket, and we are losing business because there are too many taxes imposed on guests. There is the local tourism fee of RM5 (US$1.18) per room per night, and the tourism tax of RM10 per room per night, imposed on foreign passport holders,” he lamented.
As companies shrink expatriate packages along with overseas posting duration, long-staying corporate guests are increasingly turning up at serviced apartments alone and for shorter periods.
This trend has led Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore, which opened mid-2017, to focus on offering services that keep guests occupied during their free time.
Liang: need to adapt to today’s corporate guests
Speaking to TTGmice in an interview, Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore’s general manager, Roy Liang, who has seven years of experience launching high-profile serviced apartments in South-east Asia, observed: “In the past, corporate staff tend to go for much longer overseas postings of three years or so, and therefore would relocate with family, putting up in rented houses. These days, companies have cut expatriate packages and posting durations to just one- to three-months, thus removing the need to provide for accompanying family, international schools and other lifestyle fees. For such shorter arrangements, serviced apartments fit right in.”
With more personal time on hand, corporate guests are better able to focus on attaining their desired work-life balance, Liang noted.
To help guests along, the 268-unit property is working with WorldTrainer, a global network of personal trainers that allows clients to access a quality personal trainer wherever they go in the world.
Explaining this sports initiative, Liang said: “One of the biggest gripe among frequent fliers is that work trips disrupt their wellness regime. WorldTrainer ensures clients have access to a quality personal trainer at their preferred schedule and pace no matter where they are, be it in Singapore today or Bangkok tomorrow.”
Liang is expanding the property’s sports offering with a potential partnership with Aqua Spin, a fitness company specialising in water aerobics, that will bring classes right into his infinity pool. He aims to finalise this by the end of November.
Besides sporting activities, Liang said Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore’s hardware is also “designed for the corporate staff of today”. He described them as being more independent and wanting the ability to plan their life easily using digital tools.
“We have tailored our services and faciities to cater to these needs. In all our apartments we have a Samsung tablet and Samsung mobile phone which guests can take with them when they head out into the city. Phone calls are charged a market rate, and a loaded Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore app introduces them to the vicinity and allows them to request for services – such as fresh towels or room service – without having to speak to anyone, if that’s what they prefer,” he said.
Facilities-wise, Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore boasts an all-day dining restaurant, which serves a full breakfast, an infinity pool with a serene pool deck, an executive club lounge, and a poolside BBQ pit.
Various facilities are also open for corporate event hire, such as the 12-seat boardroom, the lounge, The Bar and the poolside BBQ pit.
The recently-inaugurated Biswa Bangla Convention Centre (BBCC) in Kolkata, India, has reported a healthy pipeline of forward bookings until 2019.
Constructed at a cost of over US$77 million, the new facility has a 3,200-seater auditorium, six breakaway spaces, a 2,300m2 exhibition hall, as well as a 100-key hotel.
An artist’s impression of BBCC
Upcoming bookings include the Horasis Meet in November, the Bengal Global Business Summit in 2018. Other forward bookings include Herbalife, Tata Medical Centre, Apollo and International TradeFacilitation Centre, as well as for a couple of medical societies.
Marriott International’s Run to Give Hotel Charity Runs have collectively raised close to US$421,000, in support of various charities across the Asia-Pacific.
The runs took place in 115 locations on September 24, 2017 across the Asia-Pacific, and it saw an attendance of close to 32,500.
Run to Give is a key event in this region under the company’s ‘TakeCare’ movement, which aims to encourage associates to live their best life by promoting physical, emotional and spiritual well-being and creating strong team synergy while making a difference in communities that Marriott International operates in. It was started in 2014.
An aerial view of Limassol, a city on the southern coast of Cyprus
Cyprus Tourism Organisation launches MICE-focused schemes
The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) is offering four new financial incentives for conferences and business-related activities held on the island – or those involved in bringing business events to the island.
Each scheme is tailored to specific groups. One, for instance, is built for non-governmental, non-profit organisations/associations and higher and tertiary academic bodies and institutions (for conferences and meetings), and licensed tourism and travel offices and companies.
The incentive schemes and the specific criteria for each are available here.
Vegas Food Expo has a new location
In 2018, the Vegas Food Expo will be moved to Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino’s 3,000m2 Paradise Center North. The show will take place from April 15-16, and the event is a by-invite-only American food tradeshow that aims to help small, emerging food producers, and connect with retailers, distributors, and restaurants. The show first debuted in March this year.
Messe München expands portfolio in Africa
Messe München has purchased Lab Africa, the only laboratory and analytics fair in South Africa, which will become part of the Analytica exhibition network.
The first edition of Lab Africa, under the Munich organisers, will take place in 2019 in Johannesburg. In 2017, 109 exhibitors showcased their services and products to 1,698 trade visitors from 12 countries.
This latest acquisition adds to Messe München’s portfolio of exhibitions which include Bauma Conexpo Africa, Ifat Africa and Food & Drink Technology Africa.
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.
These beautiful elephant masterpieces belong to Elephant Parade, an international organisation that uses art to raise awareness of elephant welfare and conservation needs.
