Days are getting busier for Kohli, joint managing director of Creative Travel India, one of the country’s leading travel firms, as he readies for his post as SITE president in 2016. As the first Asian to be elected into this role, Kohli is determined to grow the association’s Asian representation. He talks to Mimi Hudoyo

Congratulations on being elected into presidency for 2016. What will keep you busy in this new role?

I want to grow membership and Asia is one of our core targets for membership growth. Right now our Asian membership is about six per cent of the total. That needs to increase significantly and I would like to triple the numbers in three years’ time.

Seeing how the SITE presidency lasts only a year, is your target too ambitious?

It is not a tall order. Look at the world map and the number of members we have in each country and the extent of the incentive business. We have (members from) only six Asian countries (out of a total of 80 countries worldwide).

In Thailand we have three members; in Singapore we have four or five. But I can list 20 people in Thailand who are capable of becoming SITE members, likewise in Singapore. In Indonesia and Malaysia I know enough people who can become our members.

(Our Asian membership) is very small, partly because SITE has not come to Asia for a long time. So it isn’t because (these people) refuse to join SITE, it is just that nobody has approached them.

My election is a reflection of SITE’s growing interest in Asia.

We need a strategy and corresponding actions by the SITE headquaters to push that strategy. This isn’t the responsiblity and job of SITE president Rajeev Kohli, but a concerted effort by the entire board and its members.

What are your plans to get those numbers?

Well, SITE Global Conference (in New Delhi from October 23 to 25, 2015) will reach out the the region.

We will also be approaching associations in Asia to engage their members and show them what SITE can do. It will not be an easy task but we have to start somewhere.

Let’s talk about the SITE Global Conference. It is a big win for India’s incentive industry. 

Well, yes. The conference rotates between the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It is Asia’s turn and we won the bid. It shows the recognition SITE have for India.

There are three factors motivating people to attend the conference in India. First of all the desire by participants to bring clients and groups to India, and second the desire to get business out of India because it is one of the world’s largest growing outbound market.

There are 15 million outbound Indian travellers today. By 2020 the number is estimated to be 50 million. That is why many NTOs and CVBs have offices in India.

The third factor is that for many people a trip to India is on their bucket list and (the conference) is an opportunity for them to (tick India off the list).

(The benefit India gets is that) SITE Global Conference will help to expose India to the world and show incentive professionals (how things are done differently around here).

For example, Europeans and Americans are sometimes used to a certain way of working and they are interested to see a different work culture and find out how a successful economy like ours operates.

India is the world’s third largest economy, growing at six to seven per cent annually. I’m sure people are curious about how India is making it work especially since we are chaotic and confusing, we are not one country, we are a continent, we do not speak a single language and we do not have just one religion.

There is nothing common among Indians yet we are successful, we are controlling the world’s IT sector, and many global companies have Indians as CEO.

What can the rest of Asia do to make the most out of this conference?

The conference should be regarded as an Asian event that happens to take place in India. We want participation from Asia. We are bringing the event closer (to the region) and we are bringing in quality people to interact with us.

Asia is not yet a big incentive destination for the West, and this is the time (to change that).

India was not given the SITE Global Conference on a silver platter. It resulted from many years of networking and participation in other SITE conferences by me and my Indian colleagues. I have been attending the SITE Global Conference for the past 10 years. I have been involved in the SITE board over the last four years.

SITE Global Conference in New Delhi came as a result of Indian trade members (who made a) conscious effort to (raise the profile of India). SITE saw India’s value and here we are today.

So there is no reason why Japan, South Korea and Thailand, for instance, cannot (host future SITE Global Conferences).

Can we expect changes in the association with you at its helm?

I believe an association’s function is to always deliver to its members the opportunity to improve and increase their businesses. It also needs to communicate with its members.

In SITE’s case, we need to communicate to the world the value of the incentive industry. SITE does a very good job as an association (and we should) stand on the rooftop and shout about it.

I’m all for one-on-one communications with my members, and that’s one of the many things I intend to do.

I am aware that SITE is a multicultural association and I need to be sensitive to the ways people work in different countries. I expect to work different in India and with SITE.

Take for example the way board meetings are held in the West and in India. In the Western world, you raise your hand (to speak) and everyone is calm. In India, we are shouting, screaming, joking and going completely off topic. And somehow that works.

International associations keen to organise events in China must not only do their homework, they must play by its rules and find a suitable local PCO partner. Caroline Boey finds out more

Holding a meeting in China is the target of US association meeting buyer Kimberly LaBounty, president and founder of Apex Management and Special Events.

Apex is an AMC based in the US and its clients include legal, medical and publishing professionals, and LaBounty, who was attending IT&CM China for the first time in April, is eyeing a spring 2017 date.

“I am very likely to recommend taking our publishing association conference to China in spring 2017 as publishing is a growing and changing market in China and there is tremendous potential.

“We realise not many educational conferences have been held in Asia, so it would be an opportunity for us to be among the first. We would like to hold a conference in Shanghai or Beijing to share best practices.

“We already hold conferences in the US and Europe, and expanding to Asia will allow the association to be perceived as a truly global organisation,” she said.

Several associations managed by Apex have members all over the world, and they are looking to expand into China and other Asian countries and are eager to learn from Asia on how best to provide the services needed.

However LaBounty says China’s proposed law – The Non-Mainland Non-Governmental Organizations Management Law of the People’s Republic of China – not allowing foreign associations to hold meetings in China could pose a problem.

American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) believes the draft legislation will make it extremely difficult for US trade associations and professional societies to be active in China, adding that major restrictions would be placed on the ability of its association professionals to meet, share knowledge, conduct business, and share best practices with Chinese associations, severly curtailing association programmes in China.

ASAE president and CEO John Graham, expressing his concern in a letter to the Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, said the legislation would significantly impact US and China economic and commercial relations.

Jeffery Huang, deputy secretary-general and associate researcher of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies based in Beijing says being able to contribute to local cultural, economic and social development is important for anyone organising an event in China.

“Managing cost, securing a high-level keynote speaker and attracting enough participants can be some of the challenges,” he added.

Liu Ping, CEO of China Star, a leading PCO in China, observed that association meetings seem to be slowing down (based on ICCA’s 2013-2015 figures). “I’m concerned that China does not have a ‘unified competent authority (to champion the industry)’,” she added.

“I’m not sure how long it will take China to have a national CVB but cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chengdu have gone ahead to set up departments under their tourism administrations to promote events,” she noted.

Pulling off a successful event in China requires a deep mindset change and international buyers must be aware of the challenges they may face working with local partners and government entities.

In a presentation to local and international association meetings buyers and sellers, Liu Yi, deputy director, China Star, gave a no-holds barred overview of some of the obstacles that stand in the way of China’s international association meetings landscape.

Liu Yi said it is important for international PCOs to co-operate with a local partner who understands and knows the ins-and-outs of China’s requirements and conditions, can cut through government red tape, be able to appoint reliable suppliers, etc.

In China it can take at least 18 months, some times years, for an association meeting to materialise and the reporting system and approval if foreign delegates are attending is complicated, he noted, adding that government influence can positively impact an event.

On the other hand, if the government requests a site inspection, the venue operator may be required to stop an event in-between so that an empty venue can be showcased and it resumes when the site inspection is completed, he noted.

Applying for visas is another area associations need to be mindful of and Liu Yi recommends using a local professional PCO. There is a strict limit on the issuing of business visa invitations, but it is improving, he added.

“Associations think they can be their own PCOs, but in China, a professional and reliable PCO can also help cut waste and take care of areas such as catering and distributing hundreds of box lunches on-site.”

Jennifer Salsbury, the former senior director, international, at Beijing’s China National Convention Center, said China’s processes are unique and truly different.

In communicating with the government, “formulaic” and “government speak” is necessary. “It’s a different ‘language’ and this is the challenge,” Salsbury noted.

Now running IMC-Convention Solutions covering Beijing, Hong Kong and Australia, Salsbury said China’s understanding of international competition is not on the same level compared to other countries in the region.

“China has no CVB or subvention programme to attract meetings, and raising professional standards and getting government recognition is what China must strive for,” she said.

Liu Ping added: “Many cities in China have built impressive venues but have no professional staff to run or market them. There is a big gap.”