Marriott International has opened Fairfield by Marriott Kathmandu in Nepal, marking the group’s debut in the country.

Located in Thamel, a district in the capital’s central commercial hub, the 115-room property sits close to attractions such as the Narayanhiti Palace Museum, Garden of Dreams and Kathmandu Durbar Square. Facilities on-site include an all-day dining restaurant, a bar and lobby lounge, fitness centre, a 24/7 convenience store, and two meeting rooms.

Fairfield by Marriott Kathmandu is the latest addition to the brand’s footprint in South Asia, with four hotels in India currently open including Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Rajajinagar, Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Outer Ring Road, Fairfield by Marriott Lucknow and Fairfield by Marriott Belagavi.

To celebrate its 120^th anniversary, Kempinski Hotels is offering value-added benefits and an exclusive bonus for all meetings and events booked at any of their hotels around the globe by October 30, 2017, with a stay period until the end of the year.

Meeting planners can choose from two benefits such as a one-hour-long 120^th anniversary welcome cocktail with gourmet bites, one complimentary room for every 12 paid rooms, or a complimentary permanent coffee and tea station during the meeting day.

As well, Kempinski will be rewarding any booker who spends a minimum of 20,000 euros (US$22,429) or 40,000 euros with a Fitbit watch or iphone 7 respectively.

For a minimum spend of 60,000 euros, the reward will be a two-night stay for two people including limousine transfer, buffet breakfast and suite accommodation in the hotel receiving the event. In addition, those spending 120,000 euros or more will be entitled to an upgrade to the most luxurious suite in the hotel.

Detailed terms and conditions for the 120^th anniversary offer are listed in the MICE section of each hotel’s website. Please visit www.kempinski.com/en/hotels/meetings-and-events for more information.

Six InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) hotels and resorts in Singapore and Batam have launched a Meet For Free package.

The package is valid with a minimum booking of 10 guestrooms per night for new bookings by August 1, 2017 and event materialisation by September 30, 2017.

It includes perks such as breakfast, lunch, complimentary Wi-Fi, a morning welcome reception, two meeting breaks with three snack items, unlimited coffee and tea for the duration of the event, and the assistance of experienced on-site event planners.

Meeting spaces will come complete with whiteboards, flip charts, markers, LCD projectors, audio-visual equipment and on-site technical support.

The participating hotels are InterContinental Singapore, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong, Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium, Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre and Holiday Inn Resort Batam. In total, the six hotels have 50 meeting rooms and almost 2,000 guestrooms.

This offer is subject to availability of rooms and meeting space, and not valid in conjunction with other negotiated rates, offers, discounts or promotions. Second occupancy rates with or without meeting package inclusions are available.

Following the attack of a lone gunman at the Resorts World Manila (RWM) casino on June 2, Marriott Grand Ballroom (MGB) and Marriott Hotel Manila – both located within the RWM complex – initially saw some booking cancellations.

Michelle Garcia, Marriott Hotel Manila’s director of marketing communications, said while no events took place at MGB on the day of the attack, there have been “rooms cancellations from last Friday until last week”.

Marriott Hotel Manila

Currently it’s back to business as usual for the hotels, and Garcia expects the situation to improve. She is confident that MGB and Marriott Hotel Manila will still be chosen for events due to the tight security, and since the incident did not take place on those properties.

Makati-based Travelexperts’ consultant Analiza Misa said some clients heading to MGB and Marriott Hotel Manila were considering cancelling their bookings.

As a show of confidence, Misa assured clients that they would be escorted by an agency representative in Manila to all destinations.

A DMC head, who requested anonymity, believes that the Marriott properties will recover quickly, given that MGB is the most advanced venue in the country while Marriott Hotel Manila has one of the highest occupancies in the metro.

As well, Garcia pointed out that they were on top of the situation and offered regular social media updates to the public, as well as their clients, since the unfortunate event.

The Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS) has created a youth wing.

This is part of MACEOS’ succession planning, and provides a platform for younger members to network and become more engaged with the association’s happenings.

Jason Teh (extreme left) with his committee memberJason Teh, a MACEOS member since 2013, has been appointed youth president and is part of a committee of nine. Teh is the account director, exhibitions & events marketing division at Pico International in Kuala Lumpur.

Through MACEOS Youth, Teh hopes to attract young talents to join MACEOS to build a larger membership filled with people below the age of 40 for the business events industry.

He added: “It is also about finding avenues to engage with university students involved in event management courses, and to provide them with an opportunity to learn more about the industry. It is also a good way for them to network and build their contacts while still in university.”

Francis Teo, honorary secretary at MACEOS, concluded: “The youth wing is a good way of getting youths involved in activities within the organisation, and for us to impart knowledge to the next generation of leaders.”

MCI, a provider of engagement and activation solutions for the meetings and event industry, has joined forces with C2 International to bring the C2 Melbourne conference to Australia for the first time.

Melbourne will host the business conference in its first iteration outside Montreal on November 30 and December 1, 2017.

For C2 Melbourne 2017, the theme will be “Ecosystems”, and the programming will explore fields like technology, arts and design, marketing, impact and leadership.

Visit www.c2melbourne.com for news and updates, including location, key note speakers and programme.

Sofitel has announced the largest Sofitel property in the Middle East with development partner MKM Commercial Holdings.

Expected to open in late 2019, Sofitel Dubai Wafi will join the luxury brand’s growing portfolio of 14 hotels and 4,400 rooms in operation and under development in the Middle East.

Sofitel Dubai Wafi will feature 501 luxury guestrooms, inclusive of 86 suites, ranging in size from 55m² to 625m², in addition to 97 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom serviced residences to be operated on an extended-stay basis. Facilities include a 1,115m² ballroom, 10 meeting rooms, a number of dining concepts, SoSpa, gym, outdoor pools with private cabanas and a kids club.

Corporate clients will appreciate the convenient access to primary business and exhibition centres including the Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai Healthcare City and the Dubai International Conference and Exhibition Centre.

Sami Nasser, COO, Luxury Brands, AccorHotels Middle East, said “this impressive project that will undoubtedly become a future flagship for Sofitel in the region”.

He added: “The development of this property is aligned with our strategy to operate one of our leading luxury brands across strategic locations in the Middle East.

“Within the UAE, we’ve established a strong presence with four operational hotels across landmark locations including Abu Dhabi Corniche, Downtown Dubai, the Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Residences, and now Wafi – a major shopping destination set to undergo a comprehensive retail and leisure expansion.”

Grand Hyatt Singapore has introduced a line-up of wellness activities that organisers and planners can use to help delegates feel revived and stimulated.

Designed for a variety of purposes, with different levels of difficulty, and with some incorporating a greater focus on teamwork, these activities come in bite-sized “Take Five” periods, complimentary for in-house events.

To get the blood pumping, five minutes of condensed strength training or a “Dice Dancing” team game can be integrated into the day’s programme, although planners can also opt to have participants begin the day with “Power Hours” such as morning group runs or in-house exercises.

These wellness programmes also include less physical options – for example, quick code-breaker games, or neck and shoulder massages.

“We look at the whole day meeting experience and work with meeting organisers on how we can infuse action, thought and communication to sustain memory retention and energy,” said the hotel’s spa director Karu Nanithi.

For more information about events at Grand Hyatt Singapore, please call (65) 6416 7377 or e-mail singapore.grand@hyatt.com.