INCENTIVE groups from Cambodia are increasingly skipping destinations along its borders and choosing to fly to South-east Asian destinations farther afield, encouraged by affordable direct flights.

Ang Kim Eang, president and CEO of Great Angkor Tours and president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, told TTGmice e-Weekly that Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines are gaining in popularity among Cambodian corporate clients.

“These destinations are accessible by many direct flights, so it is easy to move people,” Ang explained, adding that clients’ thirst for new experiences is also driving the new trend.

Most Cambodian incentive groups have been to nearby countries like Vietnam.

Ang has seen a 20 to 30 per cent increase in incentive travellers in 2015 over 2014. Some 60 to 70 per cent of his MICE groups choose to visit South-east Asian destinations.

Mann Ratana, general manager of Worldwide Tours Agency in Cambodia, shares similar observations and believes that the strong presence of LCCs in the region has made flying more affordable.

Malaysia, and especially Singapore, are bestsellers and many of her clients are making repeat visits. She had to charter flights in order to accommodate her groups.

According to Ang, most of the bookings come from the corporate banking, insurance, microfinance, trading and spare part businesses, with group sizes ranging from 30 to 60 people.

While longhaul demand is meagre in comparison, Ang has noted a five to 10 per cent year-on-year increment in 2015.

MELBOURNE Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has welcomed new hires across various departments, including operations, event planning and F&B.

Samantha Kent, who was from Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, joins the venue’s customer experience and optimisation team in the newly created position of business development manager. She has many years of experience in business development and events, and has worked in the UK and New Zealand across hotels and stadiums.

Neil Mather, who is named MCEC’s senior manager food and beverage, was last director of food and beverage at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. He has worked with iconic Melbourne venues including Zoos Victoria, Melbourne Arts Centre and the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Grant Padula, who is now senior manager operations, recently played a key role in the opening of the new Melco Crown Entertainment Studio City Casino in Macau. He brings with him more than 17 years of experience gained from working in large integrated resorts and the hospitality industry.

Joining MCEC from Diversified Communications and taking on the role of planning manager, Elissa Duke has a wealth of knowledge across all aspects of event planning and execution. Duke will lead the venue’s planning team.

Prue Rogers and Paul Rumble have also taken on senior manager roles in customer experience and technology services respectively.

THE inaugural Global Exhibitions Day will be staged on June 8 this year, to commemorate the people working in the exhibitions industry and display career opportunities that the industry has to offer.

An initiative by Paris based UFI and Dallas based International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the campaign is expected to see participation by exhibition organisers, venues, associations and service providers worldwide.

It aims to promote the value of exhibiting for companies, the role of exhibitions for development of trade and internationalisation, as well as their role in driving innovation and competitiveness of companies.

“There are many great national and regional initiatives, addressing exhibitors, visitors, policymakers and other stakeholders. Uniting these achievements under one common umbrella will strengthen the messages and multiply the reach”, said UFI president Sergey Alexeev and IAEE chairperson Julie Smith.

THE 347-key Conrad Manila expects to generate a “pretty substantial” one-third of business from MICE when it opens in March or April, said its general manager Harald Feurstein.

Business events will come naturally for the luxury hotel as it will be connected by footbridges to SMX Convention Center in the convention and exhibition hub within the Manila Bay area.

Feurstein said the facilities are complementary.

With the hotel’s proximity to the Arena sports and entertainment venue and Manila’s business centres and tourist attractions, as well as its two levels of upscale retail shops within, Conrad Manila is also expected to draw “other market segments”.

Feurstein remarked: “We can be all things – MICE, leisure and business (travel). We’re a little bit of everything but we’re really good in all of that.”

Conrad Manila will satisfy the need for a business-friendly luxury address in the Manila Bay area, which currently offers five-star hotels in the integrated resorts of Solaire and City of Dreams, which may appeal to a different type of travellers.

The hotel’s comprehensive facilities include a ballroom for up to 1,000 pax, a junior ballroom for 450 pax, seven meeting rooms, a boardroom that can seat 20 to 50 pax and the Verandah outdoor function space for up to 400 pax.

Dining options include the Sea Lounge Bar, China Blue which is led by Chinese master chef Jeremy Leong, and Brasserie on Three which offers healthy cuisine made with organic ingredients.

SOME Malaysian MICE players are intensifying courtship of MICE operators in Guangzhou, encouraged by AirAsia’s new four weekly direct service between Langkawi and Guangzhou since January 24.

John Chan, business development director, Kris International Traveltours, said: “This new route had elevated the status of Langkawi as a premier destination for MICE alongside Penang and Kota Kinabalu.

“Chinese travellers have also become more culturally and environmentally conscious. Langkawi’s status as a UNESCO Geopark, coupled with its beautiful beaches and rainforests will appeal to them.”

Chan believes that the new low-cost air link comes at an opportune time, when the yuan is weak. Smaller Chinese companies will be able to find savings by flying with budget carriers.

He added: “We have (also) increased our promotional efforts in neighbouring cities in Southern China to take advantage of the new flights to get more MICE business to Langkawi.”

Another inbound MICE operator, Mint Leong, managing director of Sunflower Holidays, told TTGmice e-Weekly that she will introduce new incentive itineraries in Langkawi at the upcoming Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings China in Shanghai in April.

“With these direct flights, meeting planners and incentive houses can make Langkawi a mono destination, without having to twin it with Kuala Lumpur,” Leong opined.

“MICE hardware in Langkawi has expanded with the opening of Langkawi International Convention Centre last year while the upcoming The St. Regis Langkawi in April will provide more high-end inventory. There are also a number of new attractions that will appeal to the Chinese for post-show tours,” she added.

Christian Metzner, general manager at The Andaman Langkawi, said the resort will beef up its offerings of teambuilding activities this year.

Iskandar Zulkarnain, director of sales at the resort, revealed that the resort was eyeing the meetings and incentives market from China, especially during the resort’s low periods.

China is the largest foreign tourist market for Langkawi. Due to the direct flights, Langkawi Development Authority is planning to organise B2B promotions in Guangzhou and neighbouring cities in the 2Q2016 to attract more leisure and MICE business.