There’s an approximate five per cent gap between perceived and actual value of last room availability (LRA) rates, according to an analysis of over 7.3 million bookings across 97 countries by CWT Solutions Group, the consulting division of Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

When companies have negotiated LRA rates, they have the right to buy a room at their contracted terms and prices even if the hotel only has one room left in that category. Without a negotiated LRA clause, it’s at the discretion of the hotel as to what price they sell the last rooms.

“LRA rates have been the gold standard for hotel agreements since the 1980s, and no one has ever really questioned that. But we have now looked into this in great detail and it seems like the gold has lost some of its shine,” said Eric Jongeling, director, hotel solutions.

“Our research shows between five and 11 per cent differences in some markets so travel managers should bear this in mind when negotiating global rates.”

Some 44 per cent of hotels charge a premium for including an LRA clause, although there’s a 12 per cent chance the traveller will not be able to stay at the contracted rate even with an LRA agreement in place, the study further revealed.

CWT Solutions Group opined that the availability of multiple hotels in a target market negates the need for an LRA clause. Furthermore, the perceived value differs considerably between premium and economy hotels and between cities.

AirAsia has launched MyCorporate, a suite of products for business travellers.

MyCorporate consists of three bundle options – Fare Only, Corporate Lite and Corporate Full Flex.

The Fare Only product is just the airfare, with all add-ons available for a fee. The Corporate Lite bundle includes airfare, a complimentary meal, standard seat assignment, and a dedicated check-in counter. Travellers can also change their flight once up to 24 hours before departure with no flight change fee (fare difference will still be payable).

Lastly, the Corporate Full Flex bundle includes airfare, a complimentary meal, Hot Seat assignment, 20kg baggage allowance, dedicated check-in counter, Xpress Baggage, Premium Red Lounge access (only applicable to flights departing from KLIA2 in Kuala Lumpur), priority boarding, travel insurance (only applicable to flights departing from Malaysia and Thailand) and full flexibility with unlimited flight changes up to two hours before departure with no flight change fee (fare difference will still be payable).

Travellers using Corporate Full Flex will also be able to enjoy GoShow, an exclusive product allowing them to standby on an earlier flight on the same day, to the same destination, with no additional charges, subject to space availability at flight closure.

All companies signed up to MyCorporate will have access to a online booking system and comprehensive reporting to keep track of corporate travelling expenses.

Anantara Kalutara Resort in Sri Lanka’s south-west coast will be opening its 680m² ballroom later this month.

The pillarless ballroom can be divided into two for smaller gatherings and meetings, and is equipped with an advanced lighting system, as well as audiovisual and entertainment infrastructure. The ballroom can take up to 350 guests banquet-style and theatre-style.

The purpose-built two storey building offers views over the Indian Ocean, as well as an indoor, and outdoor pre-function space overlooking the Kalu River.

As well, there are four meeting rooms for breakouts and a dedicated meeting and events team is available to assist clients.

Opened late in 2016, the 141-room Anantara Kalutara Resort is the brand’s second property in Sri Lanka. Facilities on the property include two outdoor swimming pools, a yoga and meditation pavilion, gym, library, water sports centre and four F&B venues.

Hotels in Singapore are experiencing a decline in event bookings and room stays as companies are choosing to meet in more affordable locations.

This is a result of Singapore’s high price point compounded with competition from neighbouring cities, JW Marriott Singapore South Beach’s sales manager, Phyllis Pereira, told TTGmice, when interviewed at the Marriott Global Sales Mission in Singapore.

A sales manager with a hotel on Orchard Road who has requested anonymity, concurred, adding that top rival cities are Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, where the weaker currencies make these destinations more attractive and affordable for companies.

For instance, the manager revealed that flying over to Bangkok would save companies a value worth two nights in Singapore even with flights and hotel costs thrown in.

Hotels along the Orchard Road belt are also feeling the effects of being eclipsed by properties in the Marina Bay district.

The manager lamented: “It’s been a long time since (we’ve) seen any promotion for Orchard Road… The marketing is very strong for the Marina area, such that people don’t mind paying a higher rate to stay at Marina Bay even for one night, and then go to a lower-tier hotel for the rest of their stay. It’s very hard for us to beat.”

However, CWT Meetings & Events’ sourcing specialist Cyril Constantino told TTGmice that although exchange rates are boosting the popularity of other countries, Singapore remains a strong choice for its safety, clean environment and identity as a regional hub.

Regardless, hotels are looking for ways to forge ahead. JW Marriott Singapore South Beach, for example, is capitalising on its location within a conservation enclave.

Pereira said: “We have four heritage buildings on site, and the hotel occupies three. Our grand ballroom is in a heritage building… It has a huge dome and high ceiling (that creates) a church-like feeling… I’ve had a lot of clients who come to take a look at the venue.”

Element Hotels, part of Marriott International, has opened Element Foshan Nanhai, marking the debut of the brand in Guangdong, China.

The property offers 329 guestrooms that come complete with a Heavenly Bed, work space, complimentary high-speed Internet access, energy-efficient kitchenettes, as well as a spa-like bathroom featuring a rain shower.

Facilities on-site include a 56m² meeting space, Salon restaurant, a 24/7 self-serve pantry stocked with fresh produce and ingredients (for meal prep in the kitchenette), gym, indoor heated swimming pool, and a bike borrowing programme.

Located in Shishan Town, Element Foshan Nanhai is situated across from the Shishan City Government office, 200 meters away from the Nanhai Central Park is 200 meters away, and a 40-minute drive from downtown Guangzhou.

Following Element Suzhou Science and Technology Town, Asia-Pacific’s first Element Hotel, Element Foshan Nanhai is the second Element-branded property to open in Greater China. The brand has more hotels in the pipeline, including Element Chongli in ski resort town Zhangjiakou, beachside Element Sanya Haitang Bay in Sanya, Element Tianjin Beicheng in Tianjin, and Element Yinchuan Binhe in Ningxia.

Comexposium Group, an event organiser, has signed an agreement with Jakarta-based PCO Amara Group, to organise and grow automobile shows in Indonesia.

The goal of the joint venture is to combine Amara’s know-how of the automotive industry and Comexposium’s global network to increase international participation and attendance to Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS), and accelerate the creation of new industry events – starting with the Gaikindo Bus & Truck Show that will be launched in 2018.

GIIAS gathers more than 360 exhibitors including leading international car manufacturers, and welcomes more than 450,000 B2C and B2B visitors.

The market offers great potential for show expansion: Indonesia is currently the second largest manufacturer in Asia-Pacific with 34 per cent market share, and consumption will be driven by the addition of 21 million new consumers projected in 2020.

The partnership will be finalised in August.

The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel, will boast over 1,900m² of meeting and event spaces when the 336-key property opens later this year.

The building’s architectural and design studio Foster + Partners has kept the former driveway and its arches, and converted it into a semi-alfresco venue, The Arches. Able to hold over 500 guests, the space also boasts views of Hong Kong Park and St John’s Cathedral, and is suitable for creative events from fashion shows to luxury automotive showcases.

Adjacent to The Arches is the 130m² Cotton Tree Terrace, a space that can hold up to 100 guests. The property’s Garden Level, meanwhile, offers 150m² of landscaped event space for a maximum of 125 guests, ideal for private gatherings.

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the hotel are the multipurpose function rooms comprising a pre-function area and six rooms that range from 35-40m2, three of which can be combined for a larger space of 105m².

There is also a larger 420m² conference room, the Niccolo Room, equipped with the latest audiovisual equipment, on the 25^th level ideal for conferences or galas. The venue can be partitioned to create a pre-function room or up to eight individual spaces – each outfitted with wall panels that can slide back to reveal 65-inch flatscreen TVs. This is the property’s largest indoor venue, and can welcome up to 360 guests for a cocktail-style reception.

Lastly, on the top floor of The Murray will sit The Aviary private dining room, set within a restaurant and bar. It can accommodate up to 12 guests.

The rise of bleisure travellers – those combining business trips with leisure experiences – in Asia is sounding the call for more inventive expenditure tracking, in order to improve transparency and reduce out-of-policy spending.

Business expenses related to travel and entertainment encompass eight to 12 per cent of the average organisation’s total budget, with 20 per cent being out-of-policy spending, reported Concur Technologies.

And with the rise of bleisure habits, “the whole dynamic of the traveller is changing”, noted Nick Evered, senior vice president and general manager of Concur Technologies in Asia-Pacific.

Evered said: “The new young traveller spends a couple of hours a day using mobile applications. This is changing the way the business traveller thinks.

The key, Evered expressed, is providing applications that the bleisure traveller can use to combine both business and leisure travel bookings, using a system that “also gives the company transparency” of expenditure.

This can help tackle the 50 to 60 per cent of accommodation reservations that are in breach of company policy, he said.

Concur runs the mobile application TripLink, which supports direct supplier bookings while allowing organisations to capture expenditure that falls outside its corporate travel system.

Playing into popular services, the company established a partnership with ride-hire company Grab to launch Grab for Work, a transport expense management tool for businesses to organise and oversee ground travel expenditure using Grab services.

However, Evered added that there may be a misnomer in creating “the killer app for booking travel” as it might not be what travellers want. He observed that in Asia, “social phenomena are now blurring into business”.

He elaborated: “People want to be able to book Grab, Uber, a flight, a restaurant and so on within WhatsApp, WeChat, Kakao Talk or Line. (Businesses are) tapping into the social network through social applications. We’re figuring out how to participate in that.”

Concur recently opened in South Korea, where conglomerates are starting to welcome cloud-based travel expenditure tracking and more US bleisure travellers are coming into Asia via the country.

Construction for Sabah’s first dedicated convention centre is expected to be completed by end-2018, and be fully operational by January 2019.

Developed by Yayasan Sabah Group, the Sabah International Convention Centre will be a five-storey building with a built-up area of 92,000m². The centre will be equipped with a 5,200m² column-free convention hall, alongside meeting facilities and VIP suites, as well as a performing arts hall with a permanent two-tier seating for 1,200 people.

Other facilities include a 7,000m² open plaza, 4,000m2 indoor F&B area and more than 1,000 parking bays.

The new centre will sit within the Kota Kinabalu Central Business District, five minutes from the city centre, 20 minutes from Kota Kinabalu International Airport and 10 minutes from the State Administrative Centre.

In the lead up to the centre’s opening, Sabah’s leaders in the business events industry have been investing in programmes to uplift professionalism and prepare the local industry for future conferences.

As well, Place Borneo, a PCO based in Kuching, Sarawak, has set up an office in Sabah in June. Mona Manap, managing director and founder at Place Borneo, told TTGmice her decision was encouraged by new business opportunities in Sabah.

She added: “Sabah is the blue ocean for business events, it being new and on the verge of rapid growth.”