More excitement in Dubai

June 25, 2015

Dubai now offers more hardware to entice business visitors, especially those from Asia

Hotels, theme parks and other hardware are mushrooming in the emirate, making it ever more attractive for business events. By Feizal Samath

New infrastructure, facilities and entertainment options particularly targeting MICE visitors and their accompanying families is setting Dubai apart from competing destinations.

In the hotel arena, some 8,000 rooms were added to the city last year, contributing to the current total of 93,000 rooms. New mid-range properties are also springing up, with 15,000 to 20,000 rooms – mostly in the three- and four-star categories – in the pipeline and due to come on stream in 2015-2016.

Meanwhile, the four-star, Marriott-managed Lapita Hotel with 503 keys is expected to open alongside three new theme parks for the entertainment of business visitors. Legoland Dubai, Bollywood Parks Dubai and Motiongate Dubai all aim to woo more business from Asia and are located in the same site between Dubai Airport and Abu Dhabi Airport, with Phase One construction expected to complete in October 2016.

Also opening in 2015-2016 is the IMG Worlds of Adventure, expected to be the world’s largest indoor theme park. Home to four zones – Marvel, Lost Adventure, Dinosaur Adventures and Cartoon Network – this fantasy land is a US$1 billion investment.

The city will break another record when it opens the world’s largest airport – with a capacity of more than 200 million passengers – by 2030. Already it has excellent air connectivity with two international airports connecting hundreds of destinations across six continents.

The emirate is also planning to allow multiple-entry visas, especially for Asians seeking to make several visits.

Amorntheep Bhatia, managing director of Bangkok-based Orient Travels, said the multiple-entry visas would definitely encourage more visits and boost business for Dubai.

The UAE capital is targeting 20 million visitors by 2020, the year it will play host to the World Expo. Foreign visitors numbered 11.6 million in 2014.

One of the city’s goals is to treat today’s business visitor as tomorrow’s leisure tourist.

“To achieve that goal, we need strong branding and marketing, which are in the works, while infrastructure is already in place,” commented Steen Jakobsen, director for Dubai Business Events, the city’s official convention bureau.

He shared that significant measures have been taken to ensure hotels are available across all price points, and that there has been a steady increase in the number of business events taking place in Dubai.

Philippe Harb, COO of One to One Hotels and Resorts in Abu Dhabi, opined that dynamic markets such as Dubai do well when it comes to improving the performance of the tourism and MICE sectors.

He added that Dubai operators also adapt well to adverse market conditions, being able to cut expenses dramatically and maintain profitability.

He cited the example of the CIS economic slowdown, during which Chinese business travellers amply compensated for the decrease in CIS business visitors, with operators providing attractive options.

Shujaat Yyar, deputy general manager at the Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre, noted that Dubai’s vision to welcome 20 million visitors by 2020 is significantly accelerating the projects and infrastructural development of the city.

“The number of flights to and from Asia, the extensive choice and quality of hotels, event venues, indoor and outdoor incentive activities as well as the reassuring fact that Dubai is virtually crime-free, make this emirate a preferred choice for Asian countries,” he added.

Sharjah a magnet for Asian MICE

Sharjah, designated the capital of Arab tourism for 2015 and historical destination for art and Islamic culture, is aiming to welcome 10 million visitors by 2021. In 2014, there were two million hotel guests, up from 1.8 million the previous year.

To achieve the target, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is partnering with the tourism trade in several ways.

Investments are being made in the development of sophisticated convention and conference facilities, high-end hotels and shopping centres. About 30 new international-brand hotels or an estimated 4,000 additional rooms are expected to open in the emirate over the next few years. The city now has 10,000 hotel rooms.

Among the developments is the new five-star luxury beachfront hotel and resort, Majlis Grand Mercure Sharjah, to be managed by Accor.

Additionally, a new leisure cruise ship terminal is being built at Sharjah’s east coast, at Khorfakkan Port. Industry officials said the tourism sector is currently enjoying a successful 2014-2015 cruise season, expecting an estimated 36 international cruise ships to bring in more than 80,000 tourists.

Khamis Kazzaz, general manager of the Radisson Blu Resort, Sharjah, told TTGmice that Sharjah was the first emirate to have an expo centre, and that it has developed tremendously with world-class business facilities and infrastructure. “Our resort strongly supports Sharjah’s vision to receive 10 million tourists – we offer nine function rooms along with various activities such as fishing, boating and water sports,” he said.

Connectivity-wise, in February this year Sharjah-based Air Arabia became the first low-cost airline from the Middle East and Africa to connect the region with China, operating regular non-stop services to Urumqi, the largest city in western China.

The emirate has significant potential to attract Asian MICE visitors given its long-established trade and business relations with the region and growing public-private partnership.

A senior spokesperson for SCTDA said visitor numbers from Asia had registered sustained growth in the past few years, with hotels recording a 19 per cent year-on-year rise to more than 313,000 Asian guests in 2014.

“Sharjah draws Asians due to its safe and secure environment, wide selection of hotels and diverse tourism offerings. Business event planners will also find it a cost-effective choice offering advanced infrastructure and facilities as well as easy access to other markets in the region,” he added.

Need to Know

More room for meetings at Le Meridien

The 580-room Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre offers one of the newest and largest conference and banqueting facilities in Dubai. In line with the country’s vision to welcome 20 million visitors by 2020, it has almost doubled its meeting room capacity with the opening of The Great Ballroom in May. This state-of-the-art venue can accommodate up to 1,500 guests and is supported by 20 additional meeting venues within the hotel.

View cityscape from world’s highest point

An unforgettable experience awaits up on the 148^th floor of the Burj Khalifa, supposedly the world’s tallest building. There, an observation deck called At The Top, Burj Khalifa Sky, stands 555m above ground level. It offers a breathtaking 360-degree view of Dubai city.

Fun activities on soft desert sand

The Desert Safari experience is a must for anyone visiting the UAE. Tours are held daily and participants depart in the afternoon dune-driving across Dubai’s desert, with several stops for photo-taking before reaching the first destination, a camel farm. Participants also get to watch the beautiful sunset before the drive ends at a campsite.

The experience includes a camel ride, belly dancing performance, henna painting, BBQ dinner, sand skiing, etc.

Experience Taj hospitality in Burj Khalifa

Visitors, especially Indians who prefer a ‘home away from home’, can check out the new Taj Dubai, which opened in March in the prestigious Burj Khalifa downtown area.

The 296-key hotel offers Taj Club Rooms, 16 Junior Suites and 15 Luxury Suites with panoramic views of Burj Khalifa, dancing fountains and Dubai Mall.

There are two especially lavish suites. The Maharaja Suite on the 33^rd floor is inspired by opulent Maharaja’s palaces in Rajasthan and boasts a roof terrace. The 680m²Presidential Suite, with its fine balance of understated elegance and opulence, occupies the entire 35^th floor and boasts its own fitness suite and yoga room.

Tour the city on double-deckers

Jumeirah Mosque Picture by whitetag/123RF.com

Dubai’s hop-on, hop-off city tours on board modern double-decker buses, with a dozen language options, allow passengers to explore different areas of interest at their own pace.

Launched last October, the Blue Route with 12 stops takes visitors to Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, Jumeirah Mosque, Madinat Jumeirah, and the iconic Palm Jumeirah, among others. The Red Route with 16 stops goes to the Gold and Spice Souks, Al Fahidi, Dubai Museum and Old Souk, among others.

Alternative shopping in the open

Located in Jumeirah on Al Wasl Road, the BoxPark open-air shopping and leisure precinct is made up of 220 shipping and industrial containers of various colours on a 1,200m stretch. Featuring about 44 high-end F&B outlets and retail stores, BoxPark was developed by Meraas Holding as a refreshing alternative to large indoor malls.

On a board out at sea

Flyboarding is the latest craze offered by SeaRide Dubai, based at Al Souq Harbour, Jumeirah, to hit the waters of Dubai.

A flyboard enables the rider to use water pressure to ‘fly’ above the sea. Clad in a life jacket and a helmet for safety, the rider stands strapped to a board connected to a jet-ski with a small pipe that pumps water into the board to propel it upwards. A good sense of balance is required.

Ready for bigger things

By Mimi Hudoyo

June 25, 2015

Surabaya’s Suramadu Bridge glows at nightfall

Already seeing a rise in tradeshows coming from Jakarta, Surabaya is eager to grow business from the region and beyond. Mimi Hudoyo reports

As Indonesia’s second business hub after Jakarta, Surabaya has a thriving MICE sector that is supported by purpose-built event centres and a plethora of hotels armed with business event facilities.

The port city in Java offers event organisers the Grand City Convex, a venue capable of accommodating up to 3,500 seats, theatre-style, and which has a 4,000m² exhibition hall. The Dyandra Convention Center is another option for conventions and exhibitions. Its massive space can support large-scale banquet events with up to 5,000 guests.

Most hotels in the city, from economy ones to luxury properties, are fitted with meeting facilities to cater to the burgeoning MICE sector.

According to Handoyo, head of product development with the East Java Regional Culture and Tourism Office, MICE has been one of the significant contributors to the region’s economy.

“Tourism contributed 101 trillion rupiah (US$7.3 billion) to the East Java economy last year, and that came from hotels, restaurants and entertainment (sectors). While we do not have specific data on MICE, most hotels now have meeting facilities and this sector contributes 30 to 40 per cent (of total tourism revenue). So, (MICE) is a significant market for Surabaya and East Java in general,” Handoyo said.

B2B and B2C exhibitions are on the rise in Surabaya, and according to Boediono, director of Debondo Mitra Tama Surabaya, an event specialist, tradeshows for the machinery, mechanical and electrical, and building technology sectors are buzzing.

Boediono remarked: “We have seen more exhibitions moving from Jakarta to Surabaya to get closer to the market. We have also seen some international exhibitions, such as HOMEDEC from Malaysia, entering Surabaya this year.

“The growing number of international exhibition organisers setting up offices here in Indonesia has presented new opportunities for Surabaya to welcome more international events. Reed Panorama Exhibitions, for example, is bringing MEGA BUILD to Surabaya this November.”

MEGA BUILD, which has a version in the Indonesian capital city, is a premier event for the architecture, interior design and building industry.

Surabaya’s growing popularity among business event organisers has resulted in major venues being booked out for events.

Boediono noted that it has been a challenge to secure slots for exhibitions at the Grand City Convex and Jatim Expo International although the latter has nearly one hectar of exhibition space.

Still, the country’s tourism ministry is hungry for even more MICE business coming into Surabaya and is eager to promote the destination to regional and international markets.

Rizki Handayani, director of MICE and Special Interest Tourism Marketing, Indonesia Ministry of Tourism, told TTGmice: “Surabaya has the facilities…but like many other destinations in the country, it needs to go out and meet potential markets. I am inviting the trade to participate in tradeshows (led by the) ministry next time.”

As Surabaya is more accessible to international travellers than other Indonesian destinations besides Jakarta and Bali, Rizki believes the city is able to appeal to regional organisers. Major Indonesian airlines such as Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air and Citilink have made Juanda International Airport one of their hubs.

Surabaya is connected to the region by direct services operated by airlines such as Royal Brunei Airlines, Cathay Pacific and EVA Air. AirAsia flies to Surabaya from Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru, while Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flies over daily.

Monas Tjahjono, managing director of Monas Tours & Travel, urged the creation of a strong destination brand and earnest promotions in the region, especially in Singapore and Malaysia.

“It took me several years to bring a group of golfers from Singapore here…because there was lack of awareness about what the city had to offer,” he explained.

Ina Silas, general manager of House of Sampoerna, agrees, saying that the city’s myraid attractions only “needed packaging”.

To that end, the House of Sampoerna, part of the HM Sampoerna cigarette company and which operates a cigarette museum, created a series of heritage tours over the last few years. The Surabaya Heritage Track itineraries took participants around the older part of the city, visiting landmarks and attractions that were part of Surabaya’s past. Some of the tours are operated with a tour bus, while some take participants around on foot.

Ina noted that the programmes would interest corporate groups, giving them a deeper understanding of the destination they were meeting in.

However, some trade players opined that Surabaya’s weakness is that it does not have as many attractions to offer as compared to Bali and Jogjakarta, which are also popular with corporate clients. They felt that Bali and Jogjakarta offer plenty of cultural attractions.

Monas rejected the complaint, saying: “Travellers do not only look for traditional things. Surabaya offers great shopping. We have many shopping malls that feature big brands and products can be cheaper here.”

Handoyo added that meeting in Surabaya could also allow event organisers to plan pre- and post-show tours to neighbouring cities.

“As the provincial government, we are facilitating the development of new products and destinations in East Java to give meeting and incentive groups a reason to come back again and again,” said Handoyo.

Some of the work that has been done include the improvement of access to Ijen Crater, the introduction of Wurung Crater in Bondowoso, and the opening of a number of theme attractions around Malang, such as the Batu Night Spectacular and Museum Angkut + Movie Star Studio. Handoyo is confident that these attractions will appeal to MICE groups.

These efforts are paying off. At the recent Indonesia Corporate Meetings and Incentive Travel Mart in Surabaya, some corporate buyers told TTGmice they are keen to take their next company outing to the city and its neighbouring areas after learning about the surrounding attractions.

Susella Gustina, office administration Indonesia of JTI, said: “We are organising a company outing and family gathering for up to 100 people. Bromo is one of the destinations in East Java that we are considering, but we have now learnt that Malang has new attractions too.”

Ina Sinarsari, senior executive assistant at Fluor Daniel Indonesia, who is shortlisting several destinations for a 50-pax corporate event, said she would be considering Surabaya for its access to Ijen Crater and Merah Island.

Ideas Track the history of Surabaya

15.00
After a morning meeting, the heritage tour of Surabaya begins at the colonial-style House of Sampoerna. A bus, modelled after the tram that once serviced the city in the past, will take your group to Kampung Kraton, which literally means the royal village. Kampung Kraton is believed to be the gateway to the palace, and the bus ride takes about 15 minutes.

Upon arrival at Kampung Kraton, participants will be guided through Kramat Gantung and Jalan Pahlawan, where traces of the ancient kingdom remain through villages named about the royal troops.

15.30
The Surabaya Heritage Track will now make a stop at the City Hall, where your group will learn about the city’s past, how the name Surabaya came about, and the different city emblems used over the years.

The City Hall itself is an interesting piece of history, as it was built in 1923 and started operations in 1927.

16.00
Next stop, Cak Durasim Performing Art Centre which was once part of the Surabaya Kanoman Palace. The centre is now named after a traditional performing artist, Cak Durasim, who pioneered the Ludruk performance in Surabaya. The performance depicts local legends.

16.15
The tour ends at the House of Sampoerna.

This itinerary is part of Surabaya Heritage Track, a series of history themed tours by the House of Sampoerna

Need to Know

Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta offers new events venue

The five-star, 275-room Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta has debuted a new ballroom that boasts a capacity for up to 2,000 guests.

Built next to the main building, the Tentrem Ballroom has a 15m high ceiling with adjustable rigging and it comes with sound-proof walls. It can be divided into three smaller meeting rooms.

The new facility adds to the hotel’s existing nine meeting rooms which are able to host events with 40 to 70 guests. These meeting venues are equipped with multimedia and Wi-Fi capability.

Move through time at a new transport museum

A new museum celebrating the evolution of transportation modes through the years has opened in Batu, a town some 20km from Malang, East Java.

Museum Angkut + Movie Star Studio displays more than 300 rides, some of them are rare and original, while others are replicas of models that date back to 1910. The museum is divided into zones such as Europe, Hollywood, and Batavia.

Visitors can also enjoy local dishes and shop for handicraft at the Floating Market.

Corporate groups can use the museum for themed events and teambuilding programmes.

Triple gastronomic delights

Bumi Surabaya City Resort has developed a three-in-one concept for its three adjacent restaurants: the outdoor Siti Inggil, the indoor Arum Manis, and the Kizahashi Japanese restaurant.

Dubbed Pasar Senggol, the concept will see all three dining outlets coming together as a single destination to tantalise diners with more than 100 dishes daily.

With a capacity of 300 seats, the restaurants are perfect for meeting groups and corporate gatherings.

Bumi Surabaya City Resort is also equipped with function rooms that can support events of various sizes.

Let’s meet in idyllic Ubud

The Sense Bali, a 97-room hotel in Ubud on Bali island, opened this February with facilities built to charm both business and leisure travellers.

It houses a ballroom that can be divided into two smaller spaces, good for 150 pax each, and a 14-seat boardroom. Fun activities can also be arranged for meeting groups, such as a competition to make traditional Balinese offerings or a bicycle tour around a village.

Located in Ubud city centre, the hotel offers guests easy access to local attractions.

Anyer gets a new hotel

Aston Anyer Beach Hotel has opened on the edge of the Sunda Strait, Cilegon, a coastal industrial city in Banten province, Indonesia. Anyer is now one of the most popular destinations for businessmen and pleasure seekers from Jakarta and West Java.

The 101-key beachfront property, some 90 minutes from Jakarta, is built with an inventory of meeting facilities, including a conference centre with three auxiliary meeting rooms located on the top floor to offer delegates spectacular ocean views. An outdoor terrace here offers a suitable venue for coffee breaks and sunset cocktail receptions.

The smallest of the three meeting rooms can accommodate up to 85 people, while the largest can take up to 400 guests.

The hotel also offers a cosy all-day dining restaurant that is great for casual gatherings, as well as recreational facilities such as an outdoor swimming pool, a private beach, a pool table, a table tennis table, a bonfire pit and a full-service spa.

The entire hotel is wired up for speedy broadband Internet.

Corporate groups can soon look forward to fun activities on site, such as paintball games.

Get smart

By Prudence Lui

June 25, 2015

Enhance the visual aspect of meetings with the use of an LED wall at Regal Kowloon Hotel

Hong Kong hotels are introducing more technology-driven services to help corporate clients deliver a more efficient, exciting event, writes Prudence Lui

As the competition for meetings business heats up among hotels in Hong Kong, an increasing number of properties are making technology investments to raise the appeal of their event facilities. Offers of high definition LED (Light Emitting Diode) walls in function rooms and event-friendly mobile apps created just for event delegates appear to be trending today.

The Langham, Hong Kong has installed a 7m by 3m LED wall in its Langham Place Ballroom, as part of an extensive hotel-wide renovation project. This piece of technology improves the visual appeal of presentations, and videos that are screened via the LED wall can be controlled by an app on the event organiser’s smartphone.

The hotel’s director of sales and marketing, David Fung, explained that the LED wall supports meeting planners’ constant search for “ways to better engage event attendees (through sharper) audiovisuals”.

In addition, a Cloud printing service is now offered.

An LED wall has made an appearance too at Regal Kowloon Hotel’s pillarless Versailles Ballroom. The installation allows organisers to showcase pictures, videos, graphics and live feeds on a big screen.

The hotel and its sister properties under the Regal Hotels International banner, have also created a multi-functional app to facilitate communications between the event organiser and delegates. Events details such as conference agenda, speaker’s profiles and pre-event news announcements can be hosted on the app, which also contains a QR code scanner that comes in handy during registration. The app can even support real-time polls.

The smart in-room tablet offered by The Peninsula Hong Kong allows guests to easily access available services

Regal Hotels International’s vice president of marketing, Lyllian Poon, commented: “Our aim is to make our customers’ lives easier with the help of technology which must also be fun to use. The ultimate benefit for the organiser and participants is instant, seamless and paperless (communication).”

Poon noted that the hotel company’s customers are “responsive to technology”, fuelling the need to “constantly bring in new services to enrich our guest experience”.

Over at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, the ((Chime)) mobile app was launched earlier this year to bring convenience to meeting planners. Said to be the first of its kind in the industry, ((Chime)) enables planners to connect in real-time with the hotel’s Meetings and Events Concierge and request for event services. The app can be used on smartphones, tablets or PCs.

Besides improving event technology, hotels are also making their guestrooms friendlier for modern business travellers.

Guests of The Langham, Hong Kong can now easily charge their mobile devices through USB ports located on the sides of the bed. They are also provided with a pocket Wi-Fi to stay connected even outside of their rooms.

Regal Hotels International’s new iclub Sheung Wan Hotel pioneered an innovative mobile key check-in capability. Guests may opt for this service or the traditional key card system – or both – to access their room. This service will soon be extended to iclub Fortress Hill Hotel and iclub Soho Hotel.

Leveraging technology to lift in-room guest experience is, however, not new to The Peninsula Hong Kong. Its parent company, Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, has an in-house research and technology department for the last 30 years, which has developed a touch-screen tablet, powered by Intelity, that connects guests with available services offered by the hotel. Available in 11 languages, the tablet programme also includes room controls. Come this summer, free VOIP international calls will be offered.

While M.A.X. Event Management, event manager, Johnny Tse, felt that these products and services “deliver a sense of professionalism” and “add value to the hotel’s service quality”, he remarked that they do not factor in the venue selection process.

Ideas Post-meeting summer sights in 48 hours

Hong Kong Observation Wheel offers glorious after-dark views

Day 1

After breakfast, pack your group off to the old districts of Sai Ying Pun and Kennedy where they can stroll around on foot and see how the locals live. Then, hop onto an iconic ding ding tram – an experience that must be had in Hong Kong – to Central.

Stop for a lunch of Cantonese delights at the elegant China Tang, 4F of Landmark Atrium, then escape the summer heat by spending the afternoon in the Hong Kong Maritime Museum in waterfront Central. The attraction brings to focus Hong Kong’s maritime heritage and tells the city’s seafaring story in local, regional and international contexts.

As evening approaches, head over to the Hong Kong Observation Wheel and pop into a cabin to take in panoramic views of the city as the sun begins to set.

End the day at PMQ, a heritage building that now functions as a creative and design hub. Offer free time for your group to explore the many studios and shops before regrouping for dinner at Michelin star chef Jason Atherton’s Aberdeen Street Social, which specialises in British cuisine.

Day 2

This is a day of action, beginning with the Wing Chun Kung Fu Experience Tour, led by disciples of master Ip Man. Start with a warm-up walk down the Avenue of Stars before learning some Wing Chun moves. Next, get better acquainted with master Ip’s famous disciple, Bruce Lee, through the Hong Kong Heritage Museum’s Bruce Lee: Kung Fu.Art.Life exhibition.

The action continues after lunch at Discovery Bay Pier, where your group will hike up to the Lookout Point for a panoramic view of Discovery Bay spanning from the Marina Club to Yi Pak Bay. Later, transfer back to Central by ferry.

Dinner tonight is at Wan Chai’s Tai Hang, where your group can break up and go in search of local eats in the neighbourhood.

Need to know

Come celebrate art and gastronomic delights

The new Tycoon Tann and Mod Bar on Wellington Street in Central is a dining destination that celebrates Hong Kong’s culture through food, drinks, design and art. Mod Bar on the ground floor offers Chinese-inspired cocktails and East-meets-West bar snacks, while the two-floor Tycoon Tann restaurant presents local classic dishes with an upmarket spin. Diners can sink their chops into signature dishes such as braised abalone with black truffle in a casserole, and baked crab shell stuffed with fresh crab meat, onion and cheese.

Tycoon Tann and Mod Bar are great for private events. Mod Bar seats 32 people, while Tycoon Tann has a 32-seat private dining room on each floor.

Visit www.tycoontann.com for more information.

Hands-on protein party

The Nose-to-Tail Butchery Class is a hands-on activity designed to teach this ancient skill that treats every part of the animal as sacred.

Led by one of The Butchers Club’s butchers or chefs, participants will learn how to butcher their own meat at home. The chef will butcher a whole lamb, after which participants will learn how to debone, roll and tie a lamb shoulder. There are also lessons on how to skin, score, stuff, roll, rewrap and tie a pork belly; and how to debone, butterfly and marinate a whole chicken.

Once the hard work is over, participants can sit down and enjoy a family-style meal prepared by the chefs. Free-flow wine and beer is included. Participants will later be given their deboned and butterflied chicken along with a jar of bourbon and maple glaze to take home in a cooler bag.

Each class can accommodate up to 10 pax and private classes for 6-12 guests are offered.

Email store@butchersclub.com.hk for details.

More access into Hong Kong

Flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways launched new flights to Zurich on March 29 and will further grow its international network with a new service to Düsseldorf on September 1. Meanwhile, sister airline Dragonair has entered into a codeshare agreement with Shenzhen Airlines which had recently added Jinjiang in Fujian to its network. The Hong Kong-Jinjiang service is operated thrice daily.

Air access from the Philippines is boosted too, with the commencement of AirAsia Philippines’ new Manila-Hong Kong service on May 8. It departs from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 every Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.

Be a child again

Help event delegates relive their carefree childhood with a private party at Hong Kong Disneyland. The theme park offers buyout packages on specific dates in September, and a Frozen experience can be included.

After enjoying Disney’s Haunted Halloween preview and Disney in the Stars Fireworks, event guests will get an exclusive tour of the Frozen Village where a special performance will be held. Other activities include building a snowman, riding a toboggan, and meeting the movie’s loveable snowman, Olaf.

Mix-in buyout group size starts from 500 pax while park buyouts require at least 5,000 guests.

Much talk about Ozo Wesley’s new meeting offer

Event planners can look to take up Ozo Wesley Hong Kong’s new meeting packages when they book its cheekily named meeting venue Talk. The space allows a range of configurations from 12-pax boardroom meetings to cocktail functions and classroom-style seminars, or theatre seating of 40 guests.

A Full-Day Meeting Package comes with use of the venue from 09.00 to 18.00, two refreshment breaks with snacks, and one set lunch for HK$500 (US$64.50). A Half Day Meeting Package includes venue rental from 09.00 to 13.00 or from 14.00 to 18.00, as well as one refreshment break with snacks and one set lunch, priced at HK$400.

Prices are per person and subject to a 10 per cent service charge.

Furthermore, Ozo Wesley will throw in a 20 per cent discount for meeting packages if 20 or more room nights are booked.

Call (852) 2292-3000 for more details.

Philippines resort banks on halal credentials to woo Muslim MICE groups

By Rosa Ocampo

June 18, 2015

POLITICAL fallout is pushing Paradise Garden Boracay Resort and Convention Centre, the first and only halal-certified resort in the Visayas since last month, towards the large Muslim MICE markets in the region and beyond.

Hannah Yulo, director of sales and marketing, said there is unmet demand from Muslim travellers in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Middle East, South Korea and Russia.

The push factor, however, has been the Scarborough Shoal dispute between China and the Philippines that has affected Boracay’s top market, China.

“We get small numbers now,” Yulo said, but added that the property is receiving many inquiries and expects to host several Muslim MICE groups this year.

Explaining how the resort got on board with halal cuisine, Yulo shared that a 28-pax incentive group from Malaysia had requested for a halal menu last November and that spurred it to acquire halal certification from the Islamic Da’Wah Council of the Philippines.

Since then, the resort’s main kitchen has been converted to a halal one while a separate and brand-new kitchen serves non-halal food. It has also prepared a prayer room and guestrooms with a Koran, qiblah and prayer mat.

Furthermore, the resort has Muslim members of staff and the general manager also has experience working in Brunei, a Muslim destination.

Yulo also said that the resort has set up a committee to oversee halal requests, needs and concerns, while staff have attended halal-related meetings including the World Halal Forum in Manila last November and the recent Philippine Halal Assembly in Manila, and were invited to a halal summit in South Korea in August.

The Langham Auckland raises the curtains on refurbished meeting rooms

By TTG Asia

June 18, 2015

FOLLOWING a NZ$2.4 million (US$1.7 million) facelift that finished in April, The Langham Auckland is ready to flaunt its shiny new meeting facilities.

The former Waitemata Room is now enjoying a new lease of life as the Crystal Room. Furbished with four new crystal chandeliers, the venue can take up to 180 guests altogether or be divided into two rooms.

Four new Gallery Rooms have also officially opened on the site of the old SPE bar to meet demand for more meeting or breakout rooms.

Floor-to-ceiling windows in the Gallery Rooms offer an abundance of natural sunlight to complement its new crisp, bright décor, wireless connectivity for iPads or PCs and audiovisual technology that spares presenters from being tethered to cables while delivering their presentations.

The Langham Auckland has retained its Great Room, Auckland’s largest pillarless ballroom, which fits 900 banquet style and 1,400 for cocktails.

Michael Shah, director of sales and marketing, said: “Thanks to the number (13 in total) and quality of rooms, variety of sizes (four to 1,400 people), audiovisual capabilities, our great reputation F&B – and most importantly professional, dedicated staff who provide a sense of true welcome and hospitality – we believe we provide an unequalled experience.”

The hotel also offers special corporate rates for small- to medium-size companies that use between 20 and 50 room nights a year.

Called Optimum, the programme features exclusive rates across the Langham global portfolio, preferential rates for Langham Club Rooms and Suites, a dedicated global sales representative to personally assist with your reservations, and airline partner miles accrual.

Visit optimum.langhamhotels.com for more information.

Get rewarded for meetings at Resorts World

By TTG Asia

June 18, 2015

RESORTS World Genting rolled out a Meetings & Awards rewards programme this month, designed for corporate companies that hold their functions or events at all sister properties in Malaysia.

Organisers will earn five rewards points for every RM1(US$0.27) spent on meetings and events facilities at Resorts World Genting, Resorts World Kijal or Resorts World Langkawi

Points accumulated can be used to redeem for subsequent functions or events at the three properties.

Rewards points will expire after 18 months of programme inactivity.

UFI appoints Andreas Gruchow as president 2017

By TTG Asia

June 18, 2015

ANDREAS Gruchow of Deutsche Messe was appointed president of UFI for 2017 at a meeting of the UFI board of directors in Istanbul this week.

His appointment is effective after the 82^nd UFI Annual Congress in Milan, which runs from November 4-7.

As a member of the UFI executive committee since 2011, Gruchow has been actively involved in driving the association’s overall strategy and in his new role will work closely with the UFI president and outgoing president as part of the presidential trio.

With Gruchow’s appointment, the presidential for this year is made up of: Sergey Alexeev (ExpoForum-International, Russia), president 2015-2016; Andreas Gruchow, (Deutsche Messe AG), incoming president; and Andrés Lopez-Valderrama (Corferias, Colombia), outgoing president.

Andrés Lopez-Valderrama, current UFI president, who welcomed the election of Gruchow, said in a statement: “Andreas represents one of the world’s leading trade fair organisations and has played a very full and energetic role in his position as a member of UFI’s Executive Committee.

“We are all convinced that he will carry over this enthusiasm into his future presidency of UFI in 2017 and, in the meantime, will provide great support to Sergey Alexeev during his presidency next year. I look forward to working with both of them.”

Tourism Australia, SIA join hands to boost biz events to Australia

By TTG Asia

June 18, 2015

IN A NEW A$2.7 million (US$2.1 million) marketing agreement this week, Tourism Australia and Singapore Airlines (SIA) will collaborate on promoting business events travel to Australia.

Under the three-year MoU, each side will fork out A$1.4 million for marketing campaigns and promotional activities to be held in Greater China.

The promotions are aimed at both travel consultants and corporate buyers alike.

The deal effectively seals SIA’s position as Tourism Australia’s exclusive business events airline partner for the region.

Andrew Hogg, regional general manager Greater China at Tourism Australia, said: “SIA is one of our longest standing airline partners and has been helping to promote travel to Australia for years. The signing of this new MoU dedicated to business events is further evidence of our desire and ability to work effectively with key airline partners on commercially focused marketing activities. Tourism Australia is committed to working with SIA to achieve strong business events visitor growth for Australia.”

China is a key market for the Australian business events industry and contributes over A$5 billion annually as the fourth largest spending market for business event visitors in the year ending 2014.

Australia is set to host a number of mega incentives from China, including the NuSkin China Incentive 2016 and Amway China Incentive 2017.

BCD Travel teams up with new partner in Sri Lanka

By TTG Asia

June 18, 2015

BRINGING its corporate travel expertise to Sri Lanka is BCD Travel, which this week announced a strategic partnership with local partner Travelpass.

Corporate travel management company Travelpass is one of the country’s largest outfits with branches in Colombo, Kandy, Jaffna, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, and is a subsidiary of Sharmila Travels.

Travelpass brings to the table its strong affiliations with SriLankan Airlines, Mihin Lanka and SriLankan Holidays.

“By partnering with BCD Travel, we gain exposure to its leading technology tools and corporate travel management solutions. We look forward to introducing these BCD Travel-developed tools and best practices to Sri Lankan corporations to help them align their travel policy with strategic goals and help them reduce travel spend,” said Pradeep Kumar, managing director of Travelpass.

Starwood boosts tech offerings with mobile event app for delegates

By TTG Asia

June 11, 2015

STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts has teamed up with CrowdCompass by Cvent and PSAV to offer a mobile app for planners who are holding meetings and events at its properties.

Through a newly forged referral partnership between Starwood, event management platform Cvent and technology service provider PSAV, planners can tailor an app specifically to the needs of their event attendees whether it is looking up information or networking.

Jonathan Kaplan, Starwood’s director of sales, new business and digital programming, explained: “With the option of having a customisable app with CrowdCompass by Cvent, attendees can go paperless and view real-time content like event agendas, speaker bios, presentations and property information right from their mobile device.

“Meeting attendees also may be able to use the app to create personalised schedules, share contact information with other attendees, connect with others via social media and receive push message communications instantly from onsite meeting planners.”

This follows Starwood’s introduction of the ProMeetings app, which allows meetings planners who are SPG or SPG Pro members to submit on-property requests directly to associates who can fulfill requests in real time.

The app, which is expected to fully roll out in 2016, is currently in pilot at several Starwood hotels around the world, including W Singapore – Sentosa Cove, The Westin Singapore, Sheraton Atlanta Airport, W Atlanta Midtown, and The Westin Charlotte.