In search of exclusivity

September 30, 2014

Heritage sites are in abundance across Macau but approval for private use is tough to secure, frustrating event planners, discovers Prudence Lui

Unable to access heritage sites, MCI Group Macau took a client event to the beautiful Albergue 1601 restaurant in heritage St. Lazarus Quarter

Despite Macau’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and its plethora of historical sites, business event planners are hitting a brick wall when it comes to securing a meaningful unique venue for their clients.

According to Macau’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, no applications from private companies for the use of heritage sites under its management have been accepted for the last six to seven years. The reason? These venues were abused during past events.
Only applications by non-profit organisations for charity activities will be considered.

The bureau’s stand on this matter has drawn critcism from local event specialist Bruno Simoes, CEO of smallWORLD Entertainment.
“No government owned space is available for private events. It is unfortunate.”

Sharing the same observation is MCI Group Macau’s managing director, Peter Hassall.

Hassall recalled: “Mount Fortress (built from 1617 to 1626 as the city’s main military defence structure) used to be available for event hire but we were told that was stopped due to past abuse of the property.”

In order to continue to provide unique settings for client events, MCI Group Macau has turned to privately owned venues.

In mid-2013 it organised a VIP event for global hospitality giant, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, at Albergue 1601. The restaurant sits in the heritage St. Lazarus Quarter on the Macau Peninsula, serving up contemporary Mediterranean cuisine in a traditional Portuguese setting. It can accommodate a sit-down dinner banquet for 240 guests.

“We had to get permission from the owners, which normally takes around three weeks, (and approval depends) on whether there are other events (being booked at the same time) at the venue,” said Hassall.

For the event, MCI Group Macau paid a fee to hire Albergue 1601 for privacy, engaged entertainment from The Venetian Macao and had Sheraton Macao Hotel cater F&B.

Hassall said: “People think that Macau is all Chinese, but this event presented them with a unique insight into the destination’s Portuguese history. The entertainment was specially chosen to showcase Macau’s heritage (through storytelling).”

Offering event planners yet another privately owned venue option is the new Macpro Gallery in the downtown Central district of Macau Peninsula.

The venue occupies the second floor of a commercial complex and had undergone a year-long renovation to become the multipurpose space it is today. A picture-hanging system, various lighting modes, professional audio equipment recording system, projector and Wi-Fi access are all provided, allowing Macpro Gallery to meet the needs of a variety of events.

Macpro Gallery is joined by Macpro Business Centre on the 27th floor of the same building, a venue that offers 13 serviced offices and two meeting rooms that can accommodate three and 50 pax respectively.

Business development director of Macpro Gallery, Anita Ao, said: “The supply of off-site venues in Macau is limited. Organisers have to constantly look for fresh and new venues to thrill their attendees.”

Ao said Macpro Gallery’s unique selling points are its “fresh look and chic feel” and relative afffordability compared to function rooms at hotels in the destination.

“It is also away from the gaming environment,” she added.

Business events held at Macpro Gallery can incorporate walking tours of the surrounding historical sites, Ao suggested.

Event planners who do take gatherings to such standalone private venues are supported by a variety of catering services. MGM Macau, for instance, has a specialised catering and events team, comprising of eight personnel who manage all in-house and off-site events. The team is experienced and has handled several government functions.

Vice president of sales, public & community relations, Irene Wong, told TTGmice: “(Clients can choose) either plated dinners or cocktails with pass-around canapés – it all depends on the venue. The key challenge in using off-site venues is limitation on power and water supply, food preparation areas or even sheltered spaces.”

Need to know

A real taste of Portugal

Hotel Royal Macau’s latest dining destination brings traditional Portuguese flavours, crafted by two internationally recognised Portuguese chefs, Luis Américo and Marco Gomes, to the shores of Macau.

The 120-seat FADO restaurant features four private rooms and offers a menu of well-loved dishes made with a contemporary touch and using ingredients, such squid and olive oil, that are imported directly from Portugal. A live cooking demonstration is offered when the Bolinhos de Bacalhau dish is ordered.

Diners can also enjoy a good selection of Portuguese wines.

FADO is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Hotel Riviera and Hotel Beverly Plaza Macau introduce new accommodation experiences

Macau CTS Hotel Management (International) is renovating two of its member hotels in Macau.

The 132-key Riviera Hotel has just completed phase one of works which gave some of its guestrooms a new resort theme. Other room themes will be introduced through the next stage of refurbishments.

The other property to benefit from refurbishments is Hotel Beverly Plaza Macau. Four suites have been upgraded and each boast a unique theme. Phase two of work, due to complete in 2015, will give four other suites decor themed after the four seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter.

City of Dreams kicks lifestyle entertainment up a notch

The new SOHO at City of Dreams integrated resort is a complex offering 16 restaurants and bars, state-of-the-art entertainment and engaging street art, making it a new destination for visitors to hang out and have a good time.

The extensive array of dining outlets include familiar chain restaurants such as Din Tai Fung and Hard Rock Café, as well as popular eateries imported from Hong Kong like Chan Kee Roasted Goose.

For entertainment, visitors can expect street performers executing stunning acts, including a one-of-a-kind flash mob featuring international award-winning dancers, graffiti artists who will speed-spray paintings, comedians, magicians and musicians.

Refreshed coastal attraction

Macau Fisherman’s Wharf is now under redevelopment and will present refreshed facilities, new dining establishments and three new hotels – Harbourview Hotel, Legend Palace Hotel and Legendale Hotel – when it completes in 3Q2016.

The first hotel of the trio to open will be the four-star 445-key Harbourview Hotel, a property modelled after 18th century architecture in Prague. It is expected to welcome its first guests in 3Q2014.

The completed attraction will also increase in size, from 23,500m² to approximately 133,000m².

It is located at Freguesia da Sé in Macau Peninsula.

New ways to play

By Greg Lowe

September 30, 2014

(From left) Spice Roads and Taste of Thailand Food Tours specialise in unique ways for visitors to truly experience Bangkok

Fun activities for corporate groups are emerging in Bangkok, giving repeat clients opportunities to rediscover the city, writes Greg Lowe

Whether it’s snoring, snacking or cycling, Thailand travel specialists are developing a range of products which either provide delegates with unique ways of experiencing the local culture and environment, or offer them the ultimate opportunity to recover from the pressures of corporate life, all of which make ideal elements for immersive incentive programmes and pre/post-meeting tours.

Leisure itineraries for visiting corporate groups have included traditional Thai cooking classes, fruit carving lessons and bamboo raft trips for decades and while such activities may be popular for first-time visitors to the country, they quickly loose their appeal with repeat clients who are constantly pressuring DMCs for new ideas.

Indigo Pearl Phuket, Taste of Thailand Food Tours and Spice Roads have all recently launched innovative products that can add another experiential level to corporate programmes.

Jacob Hodder, who started Taste of Thailand Food Tours last year, said his company seeks to provide clients with “an intimate window into Thai culture, history and people through food” by taking them on walking tours to small local restaurants and hawker stalls. The company, which currently runs tours in Bangkok and will be launching a nighttime tour this month, keeps group sizes small but can run concurrent tours to handle larger corporate groups.

“We aim to provide full bellies and full minds by the end of our experience,” Hodder said.

He added: “Every dish has a story to tell – from the historical influence of Indian spices and Chinese noodles to the folklore of finding your perfect love through the use of a mortar and pestle.

“Often the story is in the amazing people who serve secret recipes handed down generation after generation for more than 100 years or the great grandfather’s street cart that grew in popularity to become a locally renowned restaurant. Sometimes it is even the architecture of an eatery or local market that provides us a glimpse into the yesteryear of Bangkok and how rapidly the city is modernising.”

Spice Roads is another company that provides visitors with a street-level view of life in Bangkok. The cycling specialist launched two new tours – Chinatown and Bangkok Sunset Ride – in the Thai capital in September.

The Chinatown tour starts at the Grand China Hotel and takes riders through bustling back alleys before crossing the river to visit the Portuguese church and on to Wat Arun. Meanwhile, the Bangkok Sunset Ride takes participants past the palaces and temples in the Rattanakosin Island area. Both trips cover about 15km in four hours.

Patricia Weismantel, product manager at Spice Roads, told TTGmice: “If you’re driving around Bangkok in a minivan, you’re not going to see much of the city. These tours take people right into the old part of town, down little back alleyways which they would otherwise have walked past. It’s hard to find these places on your own.

“We also have similar day and night tours in Chiang Mai. The night ride is really cool because it takes you around the old town and through the night market. Our clients love it because they feel they have experienced Thailand in a different way.”

Indigo Pearl Phuket, on the other hand, has introduced an incentive package which is all about doing as little as possible.

The Art of Sleep, which is aimed at executives needing a serious recharge from the pressures of work, was developed by Chris Oakes, the resort’s general manager and a self-confessed insomniac, who said the property is the first in Thailand to offer such a package.

“Sleep has become the great casualty of modern life, stolen by the stresses of work and family and the round-the-clock connectivity imposed by the Internet age,” he said.

“For many companies that have been working hard towards a goal or an incentive, time together with plenty of time for sleeping and recovering would be a very attractive proposition.

“And with that rest and relaxation often comes a flowering of creativity and seeing old problems with new eyes. So the benefits for a company could be manifold.”

To adapt the package for MICE groups, Indigo Pearl has added elements including group sleeping sessions on beanbags under shady trees that line the beach, specially crafted spa therapies, in-room aromatherapy to induce relaxation, tai chi and yoga classes, and more.
The property is targeting high-level groups from Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia.

Art of Sleep can be added to an existing package from 6,500++ baht (US$201.50) per person.

Ideas

Two-day teambuilding

Escape Hunt Bangkok offers participants a chance to test their sleuthing skills

Day 1

Kick off the day with a Bangkok Food Challenge. Your group will be split into teams and a Thai chef will shows participants how to make three local dishes. The team is then given a crash course in Thai to help them purchase key ingredients and handle local transport. A set of flash cards denoting the ingredients and 1,000 baht of spending money will be distributed before teams are sent off to secure all ingredients in under three hours. Points are awarded for the fastest time, greatest variety of transport used, most relevant posts on the activity on Facebook, etc.

The cook-off begins after lunch, and teams have 90 minutes to cook the three dishes from scratch.

Free time/coffee break is offered after this challenge.

Up next: Escape Hunt Bangkok. Teams will compete to solve a historical murder mystery challenge.

Your group will have the evening off to themselves.

Day 2

The day begins with surfing lessons and teambuilding games at Flow House Bangkok.

After lunch, your group will head to Healthland Asoke for a revitalising Thai massage.

Come evening, take on a cocktail mixology class from Flow Cocktail and compete with one another to create the best libation.

End the two-day teambuilding programme over dinner and drinks at LB Terrace.

Need to know

Celebrity twist to Thai street food and classic dishes

Housed in a 100-year-old villa, which has been painted shocking pink, Naamsah Bottling Trust is celebrity chef Ian Kittichai’s latest addition to Bangkok’s dining scene. The restaurant serves Kittichai’s personal take on classic Thai dishes and street cuisine, some of which have been combined with other cosmopolitan comfort foods, such as tacos and fois gras. The bar serves more than 30 kinds of cocktails.

Visit www.naamsah.com for more information.

Enjoy more than a tipple at Mikkeller Bangkok

Situated in a former house and gardens off Ekkamai Road, Mikkeller Bangkok is the fourth addition to the Danish gypsy brewery’s global bar footprint. Serving 30 craft beers on tap, with more in bottles, the bar boasts the country’s best range of high-quality drafts, many of which are one-off creations from the master brewer. The taste-before-you-buy policy makes choosing more fun.

Plan a private movie night

Corporate gatherings need not always be over cocktails and dinners. Event planners can arrange for a cosy movie night at Bangkok’s poshest cinema, Embassy Diplomat Screens, where cinephiles can choose from a host of seating options, from cocoons to day beds.
The smallest theatre in the venue offers just 31 seats.

Other facilities include a bar, quality bites from DEAN & DELUCA, headphones with private language choices, and a living room waiting area.

Embassy Diplomat Screens, located in Central Embassy on Ploenchit Road, is open for private bookings.

Visit www.embassycineplex.com.

Engineer a hot cocktail party

Ashley Sutton, the godfather of Bangkok cocktail bars, has outdone himself with his latest creation, A R Sutton Engineers & Co Siam, which, he says, combines colonial inspirations with a touch of black magic.

Drinks are design by Joseph Boroski, a big name in the world of bars and mixology. The bar’s dark interiors sport plenty of exposed beams, red brick and polished metal.

Visit www.facebook.com/A.R.Sutton.engineers for more information.

Italian indulgence in a Thai kingdom

Paolo Vitaletti earned a reputation for serving some of Bangkok’s best Italian food with the opening of Appia. His latest venture, Peppina, is already rated by some as being home to the city’s best pizza. No pasta is served here but there are plenty of other Italian favourites and grilled meats, as well as a solid list of wines, craft beers and cocktails. Advance booking is strongly advised.

Visit www.facebook.com/peppinapizza for details.

Excellent access for museum fans

Anyone wanting to check out more than a couple of Bangkok’s museums should purchase the Muse Pass ticket book which provides entry to 20 museums in the city and its environs for 199 baht (US$6.20). Participating museums include Museum Siam, Siam House of Bizarre Creatures, Phaya Thai Palace, Bangkok Folk’s Museum, King Prajadhipok Museum, Thai Film Museum, Science Museum and The Queen’s Gallery.

Visit www.thaiticketmajor.com for details.

Museum Siam

Congresses sail in

By Karen Yue

September 30, 2014

Yokohama is supported by more than 14,000 hotel rooms, making it a convenient option for large-scale meetings

A strong life sciences industry and attention to environmental issues have made port city Yokohama a hit with related associations for meetings. By Karen Yue

Yokohama, the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the commercial hub of the Greater Tokyo Area, has enjoyed several years of good business in the associations congress sector.

In 2012, Yokohama hosted several massive international meetings such as the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (3,500 delegates), and the 4th Congress of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies (3,000 delegates). The same year also saw the city winning a number of high-profile meetings like the Goldschmidt Conference (2016), Biennial Congress of the Asian-Pacific Hepato-Pancreato Biliary Association (2017) and the International Orthodontic Congress (2020).

Yokohama’s congress fortunes flowed into 2013, when it hosted major international meetings like the 28th International Chemotherapy and Infection (1,500 attendees) in June, and the 2013 IDF World Dairy Summit (2,200 delegates) in October.

A spokesperson with Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau (YCVB) told TTGmice that 2014 would be another good year.

“We had some major meetings this year too, like the 16th International Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists in June and the XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology in July,” the spokesperson revealed.

Both events attracted about 5,000 delegates to the populous port city.

Eager to further grow its crop of association congress wins, YCVB last year developed a new brand and tagline – Japan’s First Port of Call – to better reflect its status as a destination for conventions.

The spokesperson said: “This is meant to convey the message that one of Yokohama’s characteristics is that we are the first in many ways.

“From being the first Japanese port to open up (to the world in 1859), to hosting first-in-Asia congresses, and the first in innovation and research and development, our ‘can-do’ approach has made Yokohama Japan’s first port of call. For international meeting organisers who want to bring their events to Yokohama, YCVB is their first port of call as we are a full-service bureau.”

The new brand is reflected in a logo that uses a Japanese nami pattern, representing waves and reinforcing Yokohama’s status as a harbour city that is open and dynamic, and at the same time offering Japanese tradition, hospitality and efficiency. A key image, capturing the port and the main convention area was also created.

The new branding and tagline is aimed at international and regional associations, with a focus on life sciences, environment, medical, IT and biotechnology industries.

“In 2013, we applied the new branding to our new website, sales collateral and promotional video. This year we will go further in promoting our city in the associations market,” the spokesperson added.

She shared that Yokohama is especially keen to attract associations related to life sciences and the environment.

Explaning the importance of the life sciences industry to the destination, she said: “Yokohama was designated Life Innovation Special Zone (Comprehensive International Strategic Zone for the Life Sciences) by the national government, and has four main areas where bio-science research and development (facilities and companies) are concentrated.

“We have many (research and development facilities) and universities, so meeting planners will find (a ready pool of) enthusiastic local delegates and suppliers wanting to attend medical meetings.”

Yokohama Bio Industry Center and the Advanced Medical Research Center are good examples of city-private sector collaboration. The head of the Advanced Medical Research Center was involved in the 12th Annual World Congress of the Human Proteome Organization in September last year. The event drew 1,500 researchers on human proteome to Yokohama.

“Yokohama is also keen on environmental issues. It has been designated Future Environmental City by the national government since 2011. The city aims to create and promote solutions for a variety of social issues related to the environment,” she said, adding that this direction has led to the creation of Yokohama Green Valley, Yokohama Eco School and a global network that supports Asian nations in environmental matters.

Yokohama’s strong support in this area earned it the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes, which was held in March this year.

The spokesperson explained that association meetings can benefit from a strong local attendance due to a “large and active Japanese society” in various industries.

“And because of the availability of Japanese experts in many fields, excellent content is promised at meetings held here. Proximity to China and South Korea also means good turnout from these two countries, making it a more attractive meeting,” she added.

Associations that bring their congresses to Yokohama will also enjoy certain support from the city and YCVB. The city offers financial help to international meetings of over 1,000 delegates, while YCVB provides in-kind support that varies according to the percentage of international attendees.

Yokohama’s track record of welcoming large-scale congresses is sufficient proof of its MICE capability. PACIFICO Yokohama is the city’s main convention complex, featuring a 1,350m2 Annex Hall, a 20,000m2 Exhibition Hall, a 1,004-seat Conference Center, a 5,002-seat National Convention Hall and a selection of outdoor spaces. It is also connected to the 600-room InterContinental Yokohama Grand hotel. It held 100 international association meetings in 2013.

Meeting planners can also utilise function rooms in business hotels across the city.

Maiko Hiraoka, spokesperson for The Yokohama Bay Hotel Tokyu, said her hotel was often used when massive events required more venues than what PACIFICO could offer.

The city is supported by over 14,000 hotel rooms. While no new hotels are coming up, congress delegates can look forward to refreshed stays over the next few years. InterContinental Yokohama Grand hotel will refurbish 90 per cent of rooms this year and renovate its 100 suites in 2015. Hotel New Grand, a five-star property, will add a terrace to its renewed banquet room, giving event guests clear views of Yokohama Bay.

In terms of international air access, Yokohama is served by two international airports – Narita and Haneda.

The YCVB spokesperson shared that Haneda Airport will raise its number of arrivals/departures this year from six million per year to nine. Among the new air services are All Nippon Airways’ (ANA) flights to Vancouver, Hanoi and Munich from March. Additional frequency to/from London, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila will come too.
At Narita International Airport, ANA commenced new services to/from Düsseldorf in March while the number of LCCs serving the airport is growing.

Despite the heavy tourist footfalls and benefits to the local economy and related industries that come with congresses, this segment of business events is “not top of mind” for many local MICE suppliers.

The “long period it takes from bid win to the event actually taking place” is one of the reasons, said the spokesperson, who added that domestic meetings and weddings are “big business in Japan”.

Yoko Ueda, sales manager of Yokohama Royal Park Hotel, told TTGmice that association meetings made up less than five per cent of the hotel’s total events business and numbers had not grown significantly in recent years.

“We are keen on marketing to this segment but we have a budget issue for promotions. We tend to chase the domestic meetings market which is very strong and reliable (and) work with YCVB (for international association meetings) instead, as it has an overseas network,” Ueda said.

To get local stakeholders to be more active in courting international association events, YCVB formed the MICE Experts Consortium with 50 local suppliers and holds meetings regularly to discuss the issues Yokohama needs to address in order to win more business.

The bureau’s spokesperson added: “YCVB endeavours to illustrate to its supplier community the beyond-tourism impact of hosting such meetings. In February, YCVB invited GainingEdge’s Mike Williams to share international case studies on (such) benefits at a half-day symposium.”

PACIFICO Yokohama, the anchor convention venue in the city, wants to see more association congress business by 2015

Jordan Takako Kurosawa, director of international sales & marketing at PACIFICO, agrees that hosting international association meetings brings benefits beyond that of tourism earnings.

“They provide opportunities for local businesses, researchers and institutes to interact with top leaders and experts in the field, and help incubate local business/academic research by adapting the latest trends and studies published during these meetings,” she opined.

PACIFICO is looking to grow its business contribution from this segment of events, from the current eight to 10 per cent to 10-15 per cent by 2015.

“We plan to have more sales and promotions in Europe and North America, markets that are not yet familiar with Yokohama being an association meeting destination. We will exhibit at major trade shows like IMEX, IMEX America or EIBTM with YCVB,” Kurosawa said.

Need to know

Take a walk in the park

Yokohama is not all concrete buildings. The Sankeien Gardens shows a different, serene side of the big city, with traditional Japanese houses and architecture, manicured gardens, a pond and small streams setting the scene of ancient Japan. Open to the public since 1904, Sankeien Gardens is most beautiful in autumn and spring. It is illuminated at night during the cherry blossom season, which falls around late-March/early-April.

The garden is open daily from 09.00 to 17.00; last admission at 16.30. Visit www.sankeien.or.jp for more information.

Get connected for free

NTT East is offering free Wi-Fi access to overseas visitors in Yokohama. To enjoy the complimentary connection, visitors need to present their passports at designated counters located across the city and collect a Wi-Fi card with user ID and password, or download the free app, NAVITIME for Japan Travel, onto their smartphones ahead of their travel.

Free Wi-Fi access is available for 14 days from the day of registration, at specific Wi-Fi hotspots.

More details can be found at www.yokohamajapan.com/about/free-wi-fi-service-overseas-tourists-visit-yokohama-2/.

Meet and stay at a new Best Western property

Opened in May, Best Western Yokohama sits in the Tsurumi ward of the port city, close to the bay area, and is easily accessible from the JR Yokohama and JR Shinagawa stations.

It appeals to meeting planners with its 100m² meeting room, a space good for events with up to 60 delegates.

Guests can choose from single, double, twin and triple options, with all of Best Western Yokohama’s 185 rooms equipped with flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi.

Explore Yokohama’s factories

Yokohama is home to several prominent manufacturers such as Nissan Motor Corporation, Kirin Brewery and FANCL, and educational factory tours can be arranged with the help of the Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Hands-on experiences are often included in these factory tours. At Kirin Brewery, for example, visitors can take part in a beer-making class and learn what are the ingredients needed to make a good brew, and understand the various necessary processes such as fermentation and aging.

Corporate groups can also enjoy guided tours of specialty museums such as the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, where an expert will explain the history and culture behind this familiar noodle dish; and the Silk Museum, where delegates can join a loom weaving workshop and other activities.

Contact Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau at (81-45) 221-2111 for a full list of industrial tours available to corporate groups.

Cup noodle paradise

Anyone who appreciates the convenience of cup noodles will enjoy a visit to the interactive Cup Noodle Museum in Yokohama. Exhibits lead visitors into the mind of Momofuku Ando, inventor of the world’s first cup noodle and founder of Nissin Food Products, and showcase the astounding variety of cup noodles that have been created through the years. Visitors can also make their own cup noodles at the Chicken Ramen Factory and the My CUPNOODLE Factory.

Visit www.cupnoodles-museum.jp for more information.

Free your mind

Yokohama’s Sojiji Temple, regarded as one of the most important Zen Buddhism temples in Japan, features a collection of traditional Buddhist architecture and boasts a serene environment.

Visitors to the temple are invited to pariticpate in zazen meditation sessions, conducted in English.

If meditation is not quite your cup of tea, strolling through the temple and its gardens will be refreshing enough for hurried city dwellers.

Visit sojiji.jp/zenen/sanpai/zazen-english.html for more information.

More flights and less visa restrictions to the Philippines, request Indian planners

By Rosa Ocampo

September 25, 2014

INDIAN travel consultants are clamouring for more direct flights to the Philippines and lighter visa restrictions as MICE traffic between the two nations soars.

“Take out the direct flight problem and the Philippines will become ideal for MICE,” said Sandiip Srivastava, director and head, travel solutions, Youdian Business Solutions.

“You have everything – sand, sea, hills, natural beauty, Indian food, culture similar to India, heritage, shopping, and reasonably priced hotels.”

Srivastava was speaking to TTGmice e-Weekly during the Philippine-India Travel Exchange earlier this week, where 19 Indian buyers met with 40 Philippine sellers.

Likewise, Nilam Mhaska, senior executive of operations, Fountain Head Entertainment, who sent a 500-pax incentive group to Manila two months ago, said direct flights were necessary.

She noted that compared with Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) Delhi-Manila via Bangkok flights that were axed in June 2013, flying from India to Manila via a third destination now takes longer.

Second on travel consultants’ wishlists is the easing of visa requirements for Indian nationals. “It’s easy to secure visas for Singapore and Thailand. But it’s very tough to get a visa in the Philippines, you need to produce 10 documents,” said Ashwani Gupta, managing partner, Dove Travels.

He said addressing the visa and access problems will make the Philippines more attractive to MICE planners tired of the usual suspects Thailand and Bali.

Glen Agustin, DoT chief tourism operations officer, said efforts are being made to address these issues.

Despite PAL’s terminated service and the slow outbound during the months leading to India’s presidential election, India arrivals rose 8.9 per cent to 34,853 in January-July this year.

Agustin added that where MICE groups did not reach 150-pax in size before, groups are getting bigger this year and the Philippines has received a series of incentives.

Routes Asia to make first landing in the Philippines

By Rosa Ocampo

September 25, 2014

THE annual airports and airlines networking event and route development forum, Routes Asia, will be held in Manila for the first time from March 6-8, 2016.

Airlines, airports, tourism authorities, and policy leaders from around the world are expected to convene in Manila for the three-day event that will include a strategy summit, briefings on route strategies, and pre-arrange appointments, among other things.

Art Boncato, the Philippines’ assistant tourism secretary, said that winning the bid to host Routes Asia 2016 heightens the country’s attractiveness as a MICE destination and showcases its capability for big events. “(The event) will expose not only Manila but all of our destinations…and secondary gateway airports, for more possible connections to the rest of the world.”

The Department of Tourism and its marketing arm Tourism Promotions Board, the Manila International Airport Authority, and Mactan-Cebu International Airport, are jointly hosting Routes Asia 2016.

Routes Asia was held in Kuching, Sarawak this year, where 700 delegates were anticipated. The event will be held in Kunming next year.

Other Asia-Pacific destinations that have hosted the event since its inception in 2003 include Adelaide, Pattaya, Macau, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Incheon.

JNTO takes aim at Singapore’s MICE buyers

By TTG Asia

September 25, 2014

JAPAN is holding a targeted roadshow for Singapore MICE buyers next month to showcase itself as an ideal meeting destination for international conventions.

In partnership with TTG Events, the Japan National Tourism Organization’s (JNTO) roadshow will see delegations from cities such as Chiba and Matsue holding presentations to update Singapore buyers on the cities’ latest infrastructure, facilities, and capabilities.

Some 40 Singapore buyers, comprised of association executives and board members, AMCs, meeting planners, PCOs, PEOs, and other MICE procurers, are expected.

The event will be held at Marina Bay Sands on October 3.

For more information, visit www.jnto.org.sg.

Stamford, IMPACT join hands to groom future MICE experts

By TTG Asia

September 18, 2014

A MEMORANDUM of Understanding on academic collaboration has been inked between Stamford International University and Thailand’s IMPACT Exhibition Management.

The collaboration will see opportunities being created for students to develop skills and perspectives that will lead them to successful careers in the MICE industry, and enable Stamford International University to be a source of young MICE talents.

Loy Joon How, general manager of IMPACT Exhibition Management, said: “This agreement…is intended to produce young people who will be a major force in driving the future of the MICE industry in Thailand. We expect the new generation, through innovative education and real-world training offered by Stamford, to specifically answer demands of the employment market.”

Reed China grows show portfolio, invests in online prowess

By Prudence Lui

September 18, 2014

FOLLOWING the launch of seven industry events focusing on the auto, energy and publishing sectors last year, Reed Exhibitions Greater China is maintaining its growth momentum with the debut of FIBO China fitness event in Shanghai this month, the China Wuhan Daily-Use Articles Trade Fair in November and the China Bakery Show in Shanghai next May.

Nat Wong, president of Reed China, told TTGmice e-Weekly in an interview that the China Bakery Show was created through a joint venture with the China Association of Bakery & Confectionery Industry.

“Reed China brings in (event) knowledge and experience, while the local partner (contributes) local (industry) know-how and entrepreneurship. We expect this segment (bakery and confectionery) will grow very fast,” Wong commented.

Reed China is also leveraging the recent boom in the country’s gift industry by expanding its stable of related events to 10 in a single calendar year. These gift shows will be held in major cities like Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu and Wuhan.

“This segment accounts for a quarter of Reed China’s business and targets the domestic market,” said Mike Jiang, general manager of Reed Huabo Exhibitions (Shenzhen) Co. “Reed China holds about 90 per cent of the marketshare in China’s gift and homeware event sector.”

While acknowledging that the company’s growth in China is “fast”, chairman and CEO of Reed Exhibitions, Mike Rusbridge, said “it still represents a small fraction, given the group’s growing portfolio of over 500 events”.

“We now manage more than 50 events a year in China (and want to) continue to explore and develop new sectors. Our strategy is three-fold – we look for acquisitions, standalone launches and new show concepts,” revealed Rusbridge.

Noting that “customers are changing generationally” and “Generation Y and Millennials are (familiar with) going online or using mobile”, Rusbridge said: “That is changing the way we organise the services we provide. (Knowing) how to market on social media is vital.”

The company has invested US$30 million in a web hosting platform that will support all its events within the next few years.

“The new platform will kick-start in 2015 and be rolled out in phases and by country through 2017. This will enable the China office to plug into data systems, marketing tools, etc and access (Reed’s services) in any part of the world,” he said.

Pro-Health China takes 4,000-pax incentive to Sydney

By TTG Asia

September 18, 2014

PRO-HEALTH China kicks off its five-day incentive in Sydney today, bringing more than 4,000 of its top performing distributors in seven waves to the Australian city.

The event, said to be worth A$20.4 million (US$18.3 million) in estimated economic impact for the New South Wales economy, will see delegates participating in a Corporate Social Responsibility walk in the iconic Blue Mountains, a teambuilding session on Bondi Beach, and a gala dinner in Luna Park.

The Chinese health and skincare company last took a smaller VIP incentive to Sydney in 2009, and has been keen to return. This is the first time that Pro-Health China has held its annual conference outside of Asia, according to a press release issued by Business Events Sydney.

Pro-Health China’s annual conference comes in a busy year for Sydney, which has experienced a steady flow of Asian business events. The destination will welcome a total of 28 incentive events from Asia this year, attracting 60,328 delegate days and generating an economic impact of A$60.2 million for the state.

With the short-lead nature of this market, the bureau is expecting this number to rise by year’s end.

Hemophilia congress picks Kuala Lumpur for 2020

By TTG Asia

September 18, 2014

THE Malaysian capital has won the bid to host the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) World Congress in 2020, an event that will draw 4,300 delegates from around the world and generate an estimated RM55 million (US$17 million) in economic impact for the country.

The biennial congress is dedicated to the advancement of treatments to improve the lives of people with genetic bleeding disorders including hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, rare factor deficiencies, and inherited platelet disorders, and is regarded the most significant international forum for the global bleeding disorders community.

Commenting on the win, Zulkefli Haji Sharif, CEO of the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), said: “One of MyCEB’s goals is to make Malaysia the choice destination in business events and meetings for healthcare professionals. As such, we are proud that Kuala Lumpur is given the nod by the WFH as the venue for its 2020 congress.

“The bidding process was a long and exciting journey for our team who worked closely with the Hemophilia Society of Malaysia to produce the winning submission.”

Faraizah Dato’ Abd Karim, president of the Hemophilia Society of Malaysia, said the WFH members were impressed by Malaysia’s comprehensive bid to host the event and look forward to bringing the congress to Kuala Lumpur in 2020.