Biz Events Asia May 2015 by BEAM

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MICENET ASIA IS NOW

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EL KWANG PUBLISHER MANAGING DIRECTOR el@bizeventsasia.com

KRISTIE THONG EDITOR kristie@bizeventsasia.com

GINA SIN SENIOR WRITER gina@bizeventsasia.com

PUBLISHER/ MANAGING DIRECTOR El Kwang el@bizeventsasia.com DIRECTOR Geoff Batt-Rawden geoff@bizeventsasia.com

EDITOR Kristie Thong kristie@bizeventsasia.com

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION PIXO fanix@pixosolutions.com

SENIOR WRITER Gina Sin gina@bizeventsasia.com

OFFICE MANAGER Rev Karunakaran rev@bizeventsasia.com

SENIOR WRITER Claire Algarme claire@bizeventsasia.com

CONTRIBUTORS

CHINESE CONSULTANT KH Tok

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WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE ENGAGING?

Biz Events Asia had the privilege to attend Forever Living Rally, a mega incentive travel program that was held in Singapore from April 19-27 at the Marina Bay Sands. It was at the Sands Ballroom, standing amid thousands of Forever Living delegates, where we got to witness an example of an “unforgettable experience” which event organisers always strive for. The energy of the ballroom was infectious; the joyous cheers and eager participation said it all. Our cover story features three other events – one of which is the premiere of W Beijing, where attendees were immersed in a range of activities that clearly articulate the luxurious W brand. Throughout the story, we observe how true engagement does not require key messages to be deliberately scribbled on a wall or announced on stage. Through a balance of the right environment and activities, an engaging experience will see delegates leave an event with rewarding takeaways. Read our cover story on three engaging events on page 14.

In the May issue, we focus on the importance of meetings and conventions as the overarching theme (page 26). While emphasising on the importance of an engaged audience, we also look at the importance of silence and reflection especially amid the fast-paced world of events (page 69). In the #DelveInto section, we feature destinations Philippines, Dubai and Okinawa, Japan – bringing you the latest activities and development that cement the feasibility of these markets as business events destinations. We feature the youngest voice ever in the history of Biz Events Asia (or micenet ASIA, for that matter), bringing you Bing, a 15-year-old who has had her perspective on life changed after time spent in Nepal (page 68). We dedicate this issue to the people and families in Nepal – our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Biz Events Asia, the only Asia-based media for ibtm america

Biz Events Asia is the official media partner and member of:

Our cover image is courtesy of W Beijing Chang'an. Find out how the W brand engaged its audience in our cover story on page 14.

SALES & MARKETING SINGAPORE OFFICE Michelle Lim michelle@bizeventsasia.com

THAILAND OFFICE Santhiti Arunsit Email: santhiti@bizeventsasia.com Tel: +66 81 422 4997

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES CHINA: Mary Yao Email: mary@mhichina.com Tel: +86 10 6551 5663 ext 8008

Charline Wong charline@bizeventsasia.com

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DUBAI: Lenora Bennis Email: lenora@themediavantage.com Tel: +971 52 846 6212 SOUTH KOREA: Alexander Paik Email: apcomm@naver.com Tel: +82 10 5042 1337

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CHINA

4th Air Medical & Rescue Congress China 2015 Shanghai | May 2015

HONG KONG

Hong Kong International Medical Devices and Supplies Fair May 2015 | 9,600 pax

MACAU

Global Gaming Expo Asia 2015 May 2015

MALAYSIA

Congress of the International Real Estate Federation Kuala Lumpur | May 2015

SINGAPORE

Ethical Corporation’s Responsible Business Summit Asia May 2015 | 15,000 pax

COVER STORY

#CoverStory

ThE RUlES OF BEING ENGAGING

“Overall I think the [Singapore Tourism Industry Conference] had an excellent mix of information giving, idea generation, and actions that people can take away.” SELINA CHAVRY Regional Director, Asia Pacific World

WORDS: El KWANG

TRUE EnGAGEMEnT WILL DO MORE THAn EnTERTAIn OR SATISfY – IT CAn SEnD ACROSS THE KEY MESSAGES Of WHAT YOUR EvEnT IS TRYInG TO ACHIEvE WITHOUT HAvInG TO SAY IT OUT LOUD.

Opening speech from STB CEO Lionel Yeo at the Singapore Tourism Industry Conference

With the vast number of business events, tourism and travel tradeshows and roadshows in Asia, sellers are required to step up their communication target accuracy, which hopefully leads to return of brand objectives and tangible return on investment (ROI) that can be tracked. It is the expectations and pressure of ROI that put the creativity of marketers to the test. While investing in buyer entertainment and media engagement is necessary and commendable, do familiarisation programmes and tradeshows, as well as their sales, marketing and communications staff, have what it takes to drive key messages, capture the attention of the audience, and really engage them?

Three truly engaging events that got our attention

One of the panellists for the session on Australia was Selina Chavry, regional director of Asia for Pacific World, who was most impressed with the conference. “[STB was] sharing what their focus was, and you can see they had done a lot of work on marketing and various concepts on how to position Singapore for tourism. They have thought a lot about how Singapore is perceived, and how to reach out to different audiences, so that was very insightful. They also really reached out to people and got them involved. The panel sessions brought together different perspectives of industry stakeholders who shared innovative things companies are doing to continue to position Singapore as an attractive destination, interestingly these were very much aligned with STB’s objectives. Overall I think the conference had an excellent mix of information giving, idea generation, and actions that people can take away,” she said.

In April 2015, Biz Events Asia attended three curated events that (in our opinion) truly engaged the participants.

SINGAPORE TOURISM INDUSTRY CONFERENCE 2015

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

The Singapore Tourism Industry Conference 2015 held at Suntec Singapore saw its largest attendance of over 1,000 industry sellers, suppliers, partners and media. Above industry statistics and specific market updates participants have come to expect, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) used the conference to reach out to the industry, specifically to participate in some target market campaigns. Beyond the conference room doors, the parameters of the standing breakfast networking area were dressed with informative boards showcasing the campaigns STB has deployed since the conference held in 2014. It was a literal display of the completed works that could speak for themselves; especially meaningful to those who might not feel comfortable networking at the start of the day.

At the opening, S Iswaran, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Home Affairs and Trade & Industry assured the eager crowd of the importance of tourism and business events to the government. This was followed by an honest statement by STB CEO Lionel Yeo stating that 2014 was “a testing year for tourism performance in Singapore”. He also gave a brief upcoming overview of exciting video campaigns curated for key markets such as Australia and China, and earnestly invited the industry to be part of STB’s marketing activities, which include a SGD 35 million (USD 26 million) two-year marketing alliance with Changi Airport Group and USD 20 million investment towards SG50.

Juliana Kua, director of strategy and planning at Singapore Tourism Board, added: “Amidst challenging times, we believe that industry partners can seize growth opportunities to improve tourism offerings through innovation, and explore prospects in new growth segments.” What was engaging about the conference was the use of breakout sessions to show the industry how to get involved. These breakout sessions were themed according to markets of interest, where panels of experts discussed how to woo specific markets such as Indonesia, China and Australia. Those who were interested in technological strategies to better service overseas visitors received an update from the inaugural travel and

Key messages from this event campaigns designed with key target audience in mind incentive travel, cruise and learning travel innovation and restructuring by revitalising products and engaging further in technology and innovation

A good turnout at the Singapore Tourism Industry Conference 2015

MAY 2015

Janet Tan-Collis President | SACEOS CEO | East West Planners

tourism hackathon. A breakout session was also dedicated to communicating to the industry how they could access funds through a number of government schemes created to achieve the Singapore 2020 targets.

Damion Breust Director – Head of Event Marketing Asia Pacific | Barclays

Selina Chavry Regional Director – Asia | Pacific World

Daniel Chua Managing Director AONIA MICE

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South Korea

31st International Congress on Occupational Health | Seoul May 2015 | 3,000 pax

MAY 15

ISSUE

6 #SoundBites

Taiwan

Computex 2015 June 2015 | 4,000 pax

10 #TakingTheLead 12 #WebSpace

48 #DelveInto Dubai Why Dubai adds up as a business events destination

26 #TheMeetingsAndConventionsIssue Is the industry ready to raise the standards?

58 #DelveInto Okinawa Meet the new Corporate Games playground

62 #LegalMind 36 #TalentAndMentor

What rebranding needs

40 #Knowledge

How audience response systems can add value to events

What first-time mentors need to know

Selling effectively from the exhibitor stand

42 #Knowledge Why meeting breaks matter

64 #WiredUp

68 #SoulSearching Climbing a mountain in Nepal can change your lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective

69 #SoulSearching Why we need to stop every once in a while

44 #DelveInto Philippines

70 #Deals

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all fun and games

Australia

Australian Tourism Exchange Melbourne, Australia | June 2015

Andrew Chan CEO | ACI HR Solutions

Ho Yoke Ping General Manager Business Events Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB)

Deanna Varga Director Deanna Varga Consultancy

Max Jantasuwan Group Managing Director Events Travel Asia

Sumate Sudasna President | Thailand Incentive & Convention Association (TICA) MD | CDM Thailand

Daniel Aswin Co-founder Absolutions

MAY 2015

MALDIVES Accor Asia Pacific has been appointed to manage two new resorts in Maldives. The mid-scale Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort will be opening in 2016, featuring 68 villas including 43 located over water and 25 scattered along the beach. It will be the only beach resort in Maldives directly accessible by domestic plane without the need of an additional speedboat journey. Opening in 2018, the Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort (pictured) will be positioned as a “one-island, one-resort development” with 80 overwater villas and 40 villas situated on the beach. It will be seated on the unspoilt Maamutaa Island located 10 minutes via speedboat from the new airport.

SINGAPORE The Singapore Productivity Centre (SPC) has set up the Hotel Productivity Centre (HPC) as a dedicated competency centre designed to help hotels address challenges through productivity and innovation solutions. Supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the services provided by HPC will benefit the hotel industry through applied research (prototyping and evaluating new technologies, services and solutions); consultancy (diagnosing and solving targeted challenges faced by hotels); industry against international standards); training and sharing of best practices (educating industry on innovation and productivity best practices).

INDIA The Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Centre (JECC) has been added to Accor’s portfolio in India. Spanning over 42 acres, JECC offers:

space of 20,000 sq m

meeting rooms spread over 5,000 sq m of space registration counters, interpretation booths and a lawn for outdoor events. 6

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ASIA

Worldhotels has expanded its portfolio to include five new hotels in Europe and two in Asia, which includes hotels in new destinations for the group. These are:

Philippines Rotterdam

in Paris

NUMBERS:

10 planners when it comes to conferences bizeventsasia.com/articles to find out what the top conference food trends are.

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# UNCERTAINTY IN THAILAND WIPED AWAY The Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (TICA), Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association (RSTA) and Bangkok Riverside Marketing Partnership (BRMP) organised a “Love MICE, Love Thailand” Destination Showcase programme from September 19 – 21, 2014 to boost the confidence of organisations that were plagued with uncertainty during the political unrest. 111 blue chip buyers from multi-national companies, government agencies, state enterprises and associations were invited to participate in this campaign to encourage business events to return to the downtown areas of Bangkok (Ratchaprasong) and the riverside, which were avoided for several months. Some highlights of the showcase programme include morning group exercises conducted at T25, CentralWorld Square, a photo rally and a river race. Buyers also attended a gala dinner themed “Venice of the East” at Angelini in Shangri-La Bangkok, and were given the opportunity to meet TICA members at a tabletop exhibition session held at the Millennium Hilton Bangkok. When a destination is confronted with challenges, business events tend to be the first to be affected and the last to recover. The concerted efforts put together by stakeholders are critical in the revival of confidence in a destination.

SOUTH KOREA IDENTIFIED AS TOP BUSINESS EVENTS DESTINATION

Korean brand headquarters in the US have also generated a growth of MICE business.

Pacific World’s recent global Destination Index Survey noted that creative and well-executed promotional campaigns have helped South Korea overcome North Korearelated threats that have affected tourism. VISA exemptions for US travellers, the wide offer of direct flights to Seoul, and the presence of

In Asia, new direct budget flights from China have made South Korea more accessible, while new premium outlets and the recentlyopened Dongdaemun Design Plaza Hotel have elevated South Korea’s reputation as a high-end trendy business events destination

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FROM THE BUREAUX SINGAPORE

EUROPE The Barcelona Convention Bureau together with the Vienna Convention Bureau (VCB) has jointly secured the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) congress to be hosted in rotation between Vienna, Barcelona and an additional city that will change each time round until 2020. Barcelona will start the ball rolling in 2016, followed by Vienna in 2017 and another city in 2018 before the cycle starts over again. This event is set to attract some 5,000 delegates over the course of five days. In Vienna, the congress will be held at the Austria Center Vienna, while the event in Barcelona will be held at the Centro Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (CCIB).

A two-year partnership between the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Changi Airport Group (CAG) will see a SGD 35 million (USD 25.7 million) investment to attract leisure and business event visitors, working towards a sustainable annual growth in visitor arrivals of 3-4 percent over the next decade. The largest strategic partnership between CAG and STB to date, this will help shape and enhance longterm global perceptions of both Singapore and the Changi Airport in the global and mutually-aligned key markets. A roster of programmes is in line to create a more localised airport experience and venture into various overseas joint marketing campaigns such as previous micro-movie collaboration with local film maker Roystan Tan. Joint campaigns will also be augmented by close collaboration with trade partners in the travel industry, as well as with other established media partners with a global reach.

AUSTRALIA The new Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events, The Honourable John Eren, has awarded Club Melbourne Ambassadors for securing 11 international conferences in 2014, worth an estimated AUD 24 million (USD 18.2 million) for Victoria. Held at the programme’s annual awards ceremony at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), it was the programme’s 10th year anniversary, which has secured 95 international conferences and contributed more than AUD 580 million to the state so far. The 11 international conferences secured by Ambassadors over the past year covered a broad range of fields including sport, engineering, medicine and science, and will be held in Melbourne over the next five years. Some of these include the Asia Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering Congress and the Agricultural Bioscience International Conference. From the original 30-member Club Melbourne Ambassadors in 2005, the programme now has 129 leaders from a diverse range of fields contributing to Victoria’s economic growth and international reputation.

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Read this article about My Awesome Cafe’s business culture. Visit www.bizeventsasia.com and search for “Be youself”.

FACEBOOK

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Spotted on LINKEDIN #mobilegeddon

Is your website mobile friendly? Google announces an update that will put non mobile-optimised websites at a disadvantage in search rankings.

MAY 2015

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What you missed online on WWW.BIZEVENTSASIA.COM

New editorial board member joins Biz Events Asia He is based in Bali, Indonesia.

FCm Travel Solutions Singapore opens fourth office This new office opens in the West of Singapore.

Four ASEAN countries jointly promote cruise tourism A special reception at the event included Southeast Asian delicacies and traditional dances.

Organisers axe IndoMICE due to poor exhibitor response A buyer also weighs in on the topic of attending trade shows.

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#CoverStory

THE RULES OF BEING ENGAGING

WORDS: EL KWANG

TRUE ENGAGEMENT WILL DO MORE THAN ENTERTAIN OR SATISFY – IT CAN SEND ACROSS THE KEY MESSAGES OF WHAT YOUR EVENT IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITHOUT HAVING TO SAY IT OUT LOUD.

SINGAPORE TOURISM INDUSTRY CONFERENCE 2015 The Singapore Tourism Industry Conference 2015 held at Suntec Singapore saw its largest attendance of over 1,000 industry sellers, suppliers, partners and media. Above industry statistics and specific market updates participants have come to expect, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) used the conference to reach out to the industry, specifically to participate in some target market campaigns. Beyond the conference room doors, the parameters of the standing breakfast networking area were dressed with informative boards showcasing the campaigns STB has deployed since the conference held in 2014. It was a literal display of the completed works that could speak for themselves; especially meaningful to those who might not feel comfortable networking at the start of the day.

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SELINA CHAVRY

Key messages from this event

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“W is a very unique brand, very different from other luxury brands. I’m always keen to enjoy their special activities and I like how they try to blend the local culture with Western culture.” Deputy General Manager Destination China

Dita Von Teese’s finale performance of Rock the Empire

W BEIJING CHANG’AN INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE EVENT This was a hot ticket event of the year for the W brand, a culmination of the Rock The Empire campaign which started its world tour as early as the Lunar New Year in February 2015. Using a specially designed 3.5-metre gilded birdcage, symbolic of China’s multi-century love affair with birdkeeping, it soon became the symbol of the event by the time the campaign made its way back to the newlyopened hotel. W Beijing Chang’An is located along the famous Chang’An road nestled amongst bustling downtown diplomatic and commercial district in Beijing’s prestigious Ring 2 precinct. Thousands of photos were tagged #rocktheempire and #wbeijing during the eight-week campaign, which promised to deliver an unforgettable four-day experience for over 120 domestic and international media from the fashion, music, design, travel and business events industry. Seasoned event planners would thoroughly enjoy the experience, and not just because of the special

Vega Wang runway; W Beijing; City tour

attention, cuisine and premium beverages guests may come to expect from events that generated this level of hype. It was the level of engagement experienced throughout the stay: W Beijing called in their international team and each had a specific activation job. The briefing notes were thicker than our magazine, bound like one with white covers and a specific black font reflective of the brand. Each W representative cared for different clusters of guests while allowing for inter-cluster networking throughout the journey. The media was given access to all levels of interaction – from the friendly W Insider and global brand director Sarah Doyle to the star of the premier, Dita Von Teese. The carers were prepared with relevant information tailored for their specific cluster of guests. We also

chatted via wechat. Participants enjoyed a site inspection experience that was free of hovering. A different professional model showcased the unique collection from fashion designer Hu She Guang ( with music curated by Asia Pacific music director for W hotels and Singaporean talent Has Sidik. At the official press conference, Doyle and Starwood Asia Pacific senior brand director of luxury and design brands Arnaud Champenois sealed in why the W brand is leading the way. The premiere glittered with superstar Dita Von Teese, local celebrities, socialites, business entrepreneurs and designers. It was a true red carpet arrival with quality food and beverage served in the holding area showcasing Beijing’s first “golden” Peking duck led by W Beijing’s director of cuisine, Gunnar Kuchenbecker. The Great Room

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Secret escapes for successful events

#InspireWithCentara

Whether you are wanting to motivate your team or thank them for their success, it makes sense to take them somewhere that will inspire them towards even greater achievements. At Centara Hotels & Resorts, we have professional-standard meeting and event venues of all sizes, set amidst vibrant cities, exotic hideaways and tropical beachfronts. Visit Centaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new dedicated Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and an experience that matches the best performances of your team. www.centarahotels.com/mice

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revealed a runway stage where models walked designs by China designer Vega Zaishi Wang to the sound of charismatic vocalist Helen Feng of Beijing’s hottest psych-rock band, Nova Heart. Dita Von Teese wooed the crowd with a New York-styled burlesque performance using the renowned W Beijing birdcage pinned as her centrepiece whilst generating loud cheers from the crowd as she sashayed down the runway while peeling layers off her hand-sewn diamond dress. In an interview with Biz Events Asia, Dita Von Teese said that she was thrilled to be at W Beijing and she gets her inspiration from her travels. The superstar joined selected guests at the exclusive after-party at X25, the bar located on the top floor of the hotel. It is this approachable personality of Dita that truly aligned with the hospitality spirit of the W brand. Leading the creative team behind the program was Stephanie Choi, director of sales and marketing of W Beijing, who was full of energy and focused on delivering the best experience possible. The program had the right balance of excitement and downtime for resting, with group activities on-site and offsite at the historical Great Wall and the artistic 798 precinct. We experienced some of Beijing’s best restaurants, bars and nightclubs from day to night. The team even managed to deliver lunch boxes and French champagne up to a rarely-accessed picnic area off the Great Wall, as well as on the coach transfers whenever we went offsite. The W hotels team consistently wore the brightest smiles and were with us every step of the way, particularly two W Insiders: Jill Jiao of W Beijing and Charlie Lin of W Hong Kong. If you haven’t met a W Insider, you should, as they hold a unique role within the hotel that makes the W brand stand out, delivering bespoke experiences to VIPs based on local insider knowledge. Brand consistency and uniqueness has been a strong pull for the W brand. Doyle said: “Over the past few years we’ve seen many hospitality brands trying to replicate W; however, we’ve been able to

Key messages from this event Hotels & Resorts. who are passionate about fashion, music and vitality. It is a hotel brand not only for check-ins; it deserves to be checked out.

Cola Company and popstar Will.I.Am on a sustainability project called “EKOCYCLE” (COKE spelt backwards). W Hotels will use EKOCYCLE bedsheets as part of the movement. Each king-sized sheet set utilises approximately 31 recycled plastic bottles across W hotels in North America. Above that, they turned their attention to the nightstand and created a colourful little bedtime companion. The “Mobile Charger and Accessory Valet” (MCAV) is a USB charging device that also acts as a piece of jewellery/watch stand and an alarm clock.

ensure our brand image, recognition and loyalty has remained strong through our core passions, brand mindset and new/ next thinking.” Jenny Zhu, deputy general manager of Destination China, was excited to be a part of the premiere of W Beijing after being well acquainted with the consistent W brand from Seoul and Hong Kong. “W is a very unique brand, very different from other luxury brands. I’m always keen to enjoy their special activities and I like how they try to blend the local culture with Western culture.” “It’s the brand that always brings something new to the table,” said YY Yang, director of operations for Pacific World Beijing. “The W Brand allows us and our An hour’s drive from Hangzhou Xiaoshan clients to be creative when it comes to International Airport brought us to a planning meetings and events.” place with lush greenery and clear blue skies, which very much reflected the W Beijing delivered an unforgettable great outdoors Australia is known for. experience, with tears from big hearty laughter that reminded us why we love Penny Lion, general manager of the hospitality business. Business Events Australia of Tourism

BUSINESS EVENTS AUSTRALIA NORTH ASIA SHOWCASE 2015 22 leading sellers from Australia, 41 qualified China-based corporate buyers, and 42 leading agents gathered at the picturesque naked Retreats, located in Shangxiazhuang Village (of Paitou Town in Deqing County) in Zhejiang Province.

Australia, said the showcase sought to ensure Australia remained a destination of choice with Chinese buyers, with new products, experiences and destination information being presented. “Our research tells us that Australia’s world-class business facilities, excellent food and wine, clean natural

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“The W Brand allows us and our clients to be creative when it comes to planning meetings and events.” YY YANG Director of Operations Pacific World Beijing

Cocktail culture at W Beijing

environments, and capacity to deliver unforgettable programs for groups of any size puts Australia at the top of the list for business event buyers in China,” she said.

Icebreaker at Tourism Australia’s North Asia showcase 2015

LC Tan, regional business event director of Business Events Australia, handpicked the location, and her choice was spot on. After a hectic tradeshow in Shanghai, buyers who attended the show and journeyed onto the exclusive showcase were captivated by the retreats’ rejuvenating ambience. Despite the cooler temperatures in the mountain ranges, all buyers and media were welcomed by the warmest smiles and genuine sincerity of sellers who were ready to connect and

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“Relationships in China mean trust and respect. Sellers have to honour what they promise to gain success. It is not as straight-forward as offering the best discounted rates at the first meeting.” ANDY JIANG Acting Regional General Manager of Greater China Business Events Australia

engage beyond the product information they had at their fingertips.

Buyers meet sellers at naked Retreats, Tourism Australia’s North Asia showcase

Despite it being a brief 24-hour stay, the program was structured well. Lunch was served post-registration in The Farmhouse, with breath-taking views over the lawn, 20-metre lap pool, stables, green forestry and blue skies. Delegates bonded over lunch and proceeded onto a two-hour session of one-on-one appointments with sellers in three different villas. The seven-minute appointments were held in the living rooms, a “welcome to our home”, out-of-the-box approach that put buyers and media at ease. However, the team-building activity after the appointments was the true ice breaker. With Asians being more conservative, the activity that involved the unknotting of a piece of rope without any team member letting go created camaraderie amongst participants, strengthened by laugher and friendly competitiveness – an Australian personality trade. The freshest Australian oysters, lobsters and beef were served for dinner in the Indaba Centre, nestled amongst greenery and lake. During dinner, some agents expressed that Australia consistently delivered good products and experiences, but also sought to understand what it took to work with the Chinese market. One was particularly impressed with seller Janene Rees of Moonshadow Cruises, Port Stephens, who was very active on wechat and travelled to China three times a year to learn more about the Chinese culture. During an interview with Andy Jiang, acting regional general manager of Greater China for Business Events Australia, he advised: “Relationships in China mean trust and respect. Sellers have to honour what they promise to gain success. It is not as straight-forward as offering the best discounted rates at the first meeting.

Key messages from this event

and services from city to country and to shore. with the Chinese market, and are ready to curate unique experiences that are second to none or at the very best, Guinness World record breaking.

I would like a bigger percentage of the Chinese market to fall in love with Australia, similar to those who have already visited. To have an emotional connection and to be engaged on a different level.” Falling in love indeed. The last hour of the experience at naked Retreats was spent sitting on the lawn of the farmhouse, sipping hot Chinese tea amid stunning views of green trees and blue sky. Both sellers and media took in deep breaths, perhaps in disbelief that much was gotten out of a mere 24-hour visit. Faces bore expressions that suggested this group had been emotionally engaged – a testament of success for Tourism Australia.

Team-building at Tourism Australia’s North Asia showcase 2015

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#TheMeetingsAndConventionsIssue

THE MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS ISSUE FROM THE VAST ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE RACING PACE OF CHANGE, IS THE INDUSTRY READY TO RAISE THE STANDARDS IN THE BUSINESS OF INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS? WORDS: KRISTIE THONG

The upcoming Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre

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For more than 40 years, major cities pinned their focus on securing international meetings and conventions due to the enormous economic and financial benefits. For example, the economic impact of Sibos 2015, a 7,000-delegate strong financial event to be held in Singapore in October, is said to be worth approximately SGD100 million (USD75 million). The majority of CVBs in Asia are aware of the immense benefits of attracting a largescale, premier event like Sibos. During the annual Tourism Industry Conference, Singapore Tourism Board CEO Lionel Yeo highlighted that the bureau is ramping up marketing activities with brand-building campaigns targeting association, convention and exhibition and conference event organisers based in Europe and the US. Similar markets such as Hong Kong are not resting on their laurels either. Simon Wong, regional director of Southeast Asia for Hong Kong Tourism Board, says the destination will continue to attract international MICE business and high-spending visitors through tailored strategies for various MICE segments, while offering customised support and offers for business event organisers and visitors. In the area of conventions, Hong Kong will also be focusing on the European and American markets by reaching out to six

strategic sectors – science, medical science, engineering, social science, technology and commerce. It will also form strategic partnerships with professional associations and professional conference organisers, proactively reaching out to them to choose Hong Kong for their large-scale events. “Hosting and attracting large-scale conventions can significantly benefit the economy not only by contributing substantial expenditure, but by also providing job opportunities for different industries and supporting sectors such as food and beverage, retail, logistics and freight forwarding,” Wong says.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE? “Singapore won because of its great reputation as its financial centre, its accessibility, hotel availability and the conference facility – Marina Bay Sands itself. Being in Singapore is a great opportunity to talk about the ASEAN region and its opportunities and challenges for the future, as Singapore’s lead with ASEAN creates a strong draw for customers from South Asia, the Indian sub-continent and North Asia. It allows us to tap onto a new audience of attendees to Sibos and unite the banking community. We also have the opportunity to feature Singapore-specific content,” says Sven Bossu, head of Sibos. Fulfilling the brief of international meetings and events is not as simple as it used to be, as delegates are savvier thanks to the sophistication of information

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“Hosting and attracting large-scale conventions can significantly benefit the economy not only by contributing substantial expenditure, but by also providing job opportunities for different industries and supporting sectors such as food and beverage, retail, logistics and freight forwarding.” SIMON WONG Regional Director of Southeast Asia Hong Kong Tourism Board

SIBOS networking

technology and have higher expectations conceived as a result of previous conference experiences. With 7,000 bankers from all around the world gathered under one roof for four days, expectations will be high when it comes to the standards of Sibos 2015. Bossu says the relevance of the event to its audience is paramount. That involves four elements – networking, learning, decision taking and alignment. “To be able to deliver all four is to make the show impactful and relevant,” he says. When it comes to networking, it involves more than simply creating physical areas, but also the opportunities where attendees can do so. “We have invested heavily in a broad range of both, going from very sophisticated lounges on the exhibition floor to organising a 5km fun run for attendees to participate in.” An event that creates a conducive environment for learning involves good speakers with topics that are relevant for the industry. Bossu adds that the learning goes beyond that: the set-up of the conference rooms should allow for engagement between speaker and audience. With many business deals announced at Sibos, the element of

decision taking involves the need to ensure there are platforms where these business deals can be announced to the whole community – be it through the Sibos website, social media channels, Sibos daily newspaper or Sibos TV. “And finally, what we mean by alignment is that at the end of Sibos, the participants must be brought to a higher level of shared understanding and agreement on the challenges and opportunities we face. Through ensuring a high level of learning and networking, and announcing business deals, we’re able to elevate the community altogether and align them all,” Bossu says.

“That said, the industry should be aware of the trends impacting our industry. In other words, the trends that will reshape our industry. For example: new generations consume content differently; all pricing and business models are under analysis; the shared economy is changing the client-vendorintermediary relationship; complexity of engaging multi-generational and multicultural audiences, political/social/ economic factors (oil price, USD power,

PACE OF CHANGE Conventions often announce their future host destinations three to four years ahead; the risk involved is the assurance that the chosen destination remains safe, while company travel policies and rules of the professional industry remain unchanged. In Asia, one thing the market has been experiencing the past three years is the fast pace of change. The industry is very aware of all tactical implications of attracting conventions and managing the business, according to Oscar Cerezales, chief operating officer of Asia Pacific at MCI.

SIBOS tech forum

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Auditorium, Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre

“Meetings and conventions essentially take place for the purpose of business, professional and scientific development, as well as sharing knowledge and expertise - so it’s not surprising that both the events themselves and the people who attend them will have a lot to offer to the community here in the Sultanate.” TREVOR MCCARTNEY General Manager Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre

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“To be able to deliver all four elements – networking, learning, decision taking and alignment – is to make the show impactful and relevant.” SVEN BOSSU Head of Sibos

China downturn), market consolidation, etc... In a nutshell, we will very soon see that our market will change: roles and players. Big problem for some players, huge opportunity for others.”

Biz Events Asia spoke with a global medical congress organiser in March 2015, who believed that should an industry code of conduct change after a destination and venue have been appointed, planners will need to work very closely with sponsors and exhibitors on how this change will impact their sponsorship arrangement. This is where planners seek understanding, support and assistance from the destination bureau and the hotels and venues contracted for the congress. Planners whom Biz Events Asia spoke with at AIME 2015 expect sellers from a destination to have a unified approach and prove that they can work together before considering bringing large events to a destination. They see the bureau and its members as partners to their event, not just sellers.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS Unique event venues, convention and exhibition centres, and MICEcentric hotels are all eyeing for event business from meeting planners and professional conference organisers (PCOs). With the supply of venues increasing rapidly, especially in Asia, venues will have to be able to differentiate from the saturated pack and provide that distinct unique touch to clinch a piece of business. Janet Tan-Collis, managing director of EASTWEST Planners, says it’s all about the personal touch. A simple site inspection can show an event planner how committed a venue is in securing a piece of event business. Unfortunately, only an average of 50 percent of site inspections that buyers go on are

conducted by sales professionals who know what the buyer objectives are. It’s also about flexibility and new business models, according to Cerezales. “Flexibility because of the new meeting design needed to engage multi-cultural and multi-generational audience (flexible spaces, flexible rules, hyper connectivity for hyper networking). New business models because associations, agencies and corporations are coming up with new events linked to new ventures/tests/pilots (i.e. associations partnering with a PCO in a new cocreated event with risk shared, a corporation partnering with a convention centre in a new B2C type of event, a partnership between a hotel chain and an agency to promote one market segment),” he cites.

Foyer, Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre

There has been substantial interest in bringing large scale, global association conferences and international exhibitions to the Sultanate of Oman, but there has not been a suitable venue. The Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, which will be opening in 2016, will offer 22,000 sq m of exhibition space and more than 40 different meeting space options – the linchpin in boosting the business events industry.

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Fairmont Ballroom, Raffles City Convention Centre

“In a nutshell, we will very soon see that our market will change: roles and players. Big problem for some players, huge opportunity for others.” OSCAR CEREZALES Chief Operating Officer of Asia Pacific MCI

“As attractive as the financial returns and the growth to the business events industry will be, these will be far outweighed by the future community and economic development benefits to Oman. Meetings and conventions essentially take place for the purpose of business, professional and scientific development, as well as sharing knowledge and expertise - so it’s not surprising that both the events themselves and the people who attend them will have a lot to offer to the community here in the Sultanate,” says Trevor McCartney, general manager of Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre. However, McCartney adds there is an even broader benefit – that these international business events often attract the best expertise in the world in a particular field, giving local professionals access to international exposure and knowledge transfer. For older venues, flexibility is never more important because of established relationships overtime that are required to adapt to changing times. For the Raffles City Convention Centre in Singapore, the opening of Marina Bay Sands and re-opening of Suntec

Singapore had understandably posed a certain level of business competition. However, Ng Sok Hia, executive assistant manager, sales and marketing of Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel The Stamford, says the convention centre has successfully maintained the bulk of its loyal customer base. “Change is the only constant for many people these days, and as the business environment develops, alongside new event requirements, we will most definitely have to keep at developing new offerings that cater to our clients’ evolving needs. At the same time, we keep highly attuned to business climate and industry trends with the aim to acquire new businesses and accounts as well.” Ng shares that a strong mentorship programme is currently also in place, allowing new colleagues to learn from more experienced peers “so that they too are able to eventually handle new accounts in time to come”. Partnerships are crucial in the meetings and conventions business. Newcomers like Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre are doing all they

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can to build these strong links to the industry. “Last year we established a unique strategic partnership with the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) to educate and develop the business meetings industry supply chain in readiness for the opening of our Centre. Once we become operational in 2016, we will be hosting the Second PCMA Oman Advisory Summit, where we will welcome international industry experts to experience the destination first-hand and share their extensive knowledge and insights. We are also active members of international convention and exhibition industry associations where we keep abreast of the latest industry trends and technologies.” Similarly, the centre has embraced a “One Team Approach” with the Ministry of Tourism along with Oman Airports, Oman Air, leading tourism agencies, luxury hotels, and Omani-based conference and event companies. It has also been working with local tourism and hospitality colleges to develop talent for the hospitality sector for the future. Partnerships are similarly important for hotels.

“Change is the only constant for many people these days, and as the business environment develops, alongside new event requirements, we will most definitely have to keep at developing new offerings that cater to our clients’ evolving needs.” NG SOK HIA Executive Assistant Manager, Sales and Marketing Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel Fairmont Singapore & The Stamford Swissôtel The Stamford

The Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld has the largest integrated convention venue in Bangkok’s central business district, comprising a five-star 505-room hotel, a lifestyle entertainment shopping complex, and over 17,000 sq m of meeting space. Despite such extensive facilities that may seem like a venue that can sell itself, Centara has to ensure it continues to uphold the same standards and remain a top-of-mind preference. “Our dedicated sales team works very closely with the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and Thailand Incentive & Convention Association (TICA), and attend all the major international tradeshows and roadshows to ensure Bangkok and the Bangkok Convention Centre remain the preferred destination for international meetings and conventions,” says general manager Robert F. Maurer-Loeffler.

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SINGAPORE - CREATIVE VENUES DESIGNED FOR THE CREATIVE MINDS INSPIRED IDEAS MAY COME OUT OF NOWHERE BUT A CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT MAY JUST BE THE PERFECT TRIGGER!

Unique spaces in Singapore offer a refreshing break from conventional event venues because of their seemingly endless possibilities. These featured spaces in the design industry give event organisers an opportunity for non-conformance, a welcome change and unrestrictive permission to create events that allow for an extraordinary coming together of minds capable of synthesising new ideas as well as fulfilling the brief with utmost creativity.

ARTSCIENCE MUSEUM www.marinabaysands.com

Designed by world renowned architect Moshie Safdie, ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands is formed by 10 “fingers” anchored by a base in the middle to symbolise the “Welcoming hand of Singapore”. Each finger is actually a gallery space totalling 21 in the premise and are spread within an area of 50,000 square feet! The number of galleries allow multiple events to take place simultaneously without being obtrusive to one another. From simple product launches to fashion shows and exhibitions, the ArtScience Museum allows actualisation of creative event ideas.

MOCA@LOEWEN www.mocaloewen.sg Once known as the Tanglin Barracks housing commissioned British officers, the Museum of Contemporary Arts (MoCA@ Loewen) holds the distinction of being the only museum in Singapore devoted to contemporary works.

ArtScience Museum

The unique spaces available for hire are high and wide, pillar-less, modern and spacious with the main exhibition hall big enough to hold as many as 400 guests (standing). The stand-alone 13,000-sqm colonial architecture space includes two smaller exhibition spaces, each with a capacity of 30 guests – just the right space for a press conference or product launch.

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SINGAPORE CREATIVE SPACES

Red Dot Design Museum

It is surrounded by greenery dotted with tall majestic trees – minutes away from bustling Orchard Road.

Convent (1879-1994), a school initially set up by Father Jose Pedro Santo Anna de Cunha for the poor children of nearby St Joseph’s Church. The Atrium is where exhibitions are usually held, exuding modern and well-lit appeal; making it a fitting venue for fashion shows and design awards shows. National Design Centre hosted the Singapore Design Week in 2015, which sought to raise awareness of good design through a collection of local and international design activities.

NATIONAL DESIGN CENTRE www.designsingapore.org As the nexus for all things design, the National Design Centre is centrally located in the arts and cultural district of Singapore in the Bras Basah area. The building was formerly St Anthony’s

The Auditorium, which was an old school chapel, is an intimate surround of 122-seat space – ideal for seminars, lectures and film screenings. The Roof Terrace is an open air venue that is subtly lit at night to highlight the building’s composition of solids and voids with the box forms of the restored architecture.

RED DOT DESIGN MUSEUM www.museum.red-dot.sg

Located at the edge of the CBD, the former 1920’s Singapore traffic police headquarters was transformed into the world’s second Red Dot Design Museum in 2005. At Red Dot, you can immerse your guests amongst a collection of more than 1,000 exhibits (winners of the international Red Dot Design Award) in the field of product design and communication design from over 50 countries. With a high ceiling and an unobstructed view, Gallery 2 is a perfect space to host 500 guests (cocktail party set up) and has the versatility to host fashion shows such as The Audi Fashion Festival 2014, car launches, gala dinners and exhibitions. Located on the ground level, the museum provides easy event access wide enough to showcase a car for an event. With years of experience tailoring solutions to event organisers, the venue allows consecutiveday closure for events with complex set up requirements.

Turn your events into a world-class experience. Tap into Dynamic Singapore! For more information, kindly visit www.yoursingapore.com/mice

MAY 2015

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#TalentAndMentor

WHY MENTORING MATTERS ARE YOU THINKING OF BECOMING A MENTOR? INDUSTRY VETERAN JENNY SALSBURY SPEAKS OF THE LESSONS SHE HAS GAINED AS ONE. Starting out in this industry for the first time is truly a deeply daunting prospect as everyone seems to know everyone else and it’s kind of hard to break into cliques… Sometimes, it really does feel like you’ve gone back to kindergarten and also grown two heads – joining and feeling like a freak is not a good place to start to win friends and influence people. There isn’t really a “typical” route to arrive in this business. People join from all walks of life at all ages with hugely varying experiences. Many colleges today offer event management modules that prise open young minds into looking at different options. But while these might prepare people to understand the scope of the industry, do they really train people to have the right attitude to start at the “data entry” level? It’s really only there that people start to learn what the business is all about; when they feel the pressures and real priorities of deadlines, inflexible dates and idea changes from clients. Another pretty common way that people enter the industry is an appointment from another local authority department having created a convention bureau or a new convention centre project. Having a mentor or a senior person around to guide a newcomer into this

world can really complement keen attitudes and exciting plans. I joined the industry over 30 years ago having started out after college in the jewellery trade. After a couple of years raising a family in an admin job in the University of London, the spark hit me. I saw a small classified ad for a Chinese-speaking secretary and thought, “I could do that role.” To cut a long story short, I had become the assistant manager for conference and incentive travel at the Hong Kong Tourist Association (as it then was) within a few weeks. Like most people at the time, I had simply fallen into the role, and unlike most people, I did not have a mainstream travel trade background. Thankfully, I was enormously lucky to have a wonderfully perceptive boss in Hong Kong, who decided, when confronted by a “fait accomplis” in my appointment, that a consultant should be hired to introduce me to the business. This was the late Geoff Smith, OBE, who was a well-known writer in the trade press (regularly referred to as an “industry guru”) after having retired from the London Convention Bureau. He was a remarkable guy and became a true mentor to me, and our friendship continued long after the term

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“

Coming from the “typewriter” generation, I found these exchanges with my mentees extremely refreshing. It was supposed to be me helping them navigate the programme, but I treated these discussions as starting points for them to build their own networks while remaining open for them to call after the congress.

“

Jenny and mentee Jessica Jia, research manager at CNCC

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of the original contract. Through Geoff and his inimitable style of friendship with so many different types of people around the world, I was introduced to the conventions industry, industry leaders, and to the world of the association congresses. It was kind of a buddy system; the best introduction ever and he was endlessly patient with a very gauche 20-something kid with absolutely zero experience.

JENNY SALSBURY (Former) Senior International Director China National Convention Center

“

The discipline of mentoring focuses attention upon practices and processes which are often undertaken as a matter of course. By articulating methodologies to younger professionals, a mentor can challenge themselves on their own working practices and strategic direction and identify areas which are in need of revision. ROBIN MILLER One of the mentees under Jenny Salsbury

“

This introduction led me to firmly believe in a style where I was taught to take everyone at face value, look to their strengths, get them talking, and listen. Robin Miller, one of my mentees, told me there is such a “tsunami of information” thrown at you that your head begins to spin. My tactic was to write absolutely everything down, and figure it out later with a million questions to Geoff. Robin, who is now heading up sales of ADNEC in Abu Dhabi, expressed: “For a younger professional, the process of understanding the multi-faceted nature of the business and introductions to experienced industry professionals and clients can be accelerated through a strong mentor and mentor programme.” It does really fast-track the learning process to have a sounding board to unpick the new experiences. Another factor is the pace of change and innovation overlaid onto the very traditional realm of the international association world. Jonathan Bradshaw, who designs and delivers ICCA’s First Timers programme at their annual congresses, pointed out that the meetings industry “talks about innovation and evolution but on the other hand seems to stay the same in many areas. Younger people (both in age and experience) have different views, ideas and perceptions and these need to be embraced if the industry is to truly evolve to meet the needs of the 21st century.” During its industry conferences, ICCA teams mentors with around five to six mentees to ensure new joiners do not feel overwhelmed in a space where 800-1,000 trade professionals convene. Ksenija Polla, who runs the ICCA First Timers programme, stated that it is crucial “for those who have been in the industry for a longer period of time to give back. We need to nurture those who

are new to our industry – people still learn mostly by doing.” Coming from the “typewriter” generation, I found these exchanges with my mentees extremely refreshing. It was supposed to be me helping them navigate the programme, but I treated these discussions as starting points for them to build their own networks while remaining open for them to call after the congress. I am delighted that one young lady has now, five years later, not only set up her own company, but also partnered with a well-known international group of consultancies handling destination representation through her own network. To get the most out of such relationships, an inquisitive nature is the key to being a good mentee. Other traits include open-mindedness; the ability to listen and learn; the ability to challenge their own perceptions; the willingness and preparedness to change; an eagerness to develop and grasp challenges; and finally, a lack of “ego” – an essential trait all agreed upon. In developing countries there are other layers to overcome. In China, humility is a desired quality, especially amid women, which our industry sees no short of. This extreme “lack of ego” results in very few opinions put forward by mentees; they feel it isn’t their place to challenge the mentor. Inspiringly, I have managed to find and had the joy to work with several young women who challenge everything! They are truly remarkable in this aspect and, very politely, question until they understand what’s required – they have also saved my face many times! They never feel corrected; if they have to go back and do things again it’s just the learning process. They are avid readers of the international trade press, finding out what everyone else is talking about. They have learnt to operate comfortably in English, learnt the international terminology, know how to explain it in Chinese to their colleagues, as well as point things out to foreign guests when they can see misunderstandings arising. I feel my role as mentor in this development was to give them the space to try things out, and I found their growth truly rewarding.

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SELLING EFFECTIVELY FROM THE EXHIBITION STAND SUCCESS AT AN EXHIBITION STAND DEPENDS ON CANVASSING AND NOT SELLING, ACCORDING TO DAVID HACKETT OF MEETINGS GURU LTD.

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#Knowledge

Taking stand space at an exhibition is expensive – not just for the “ground rent” but also to decorate and equip the stand, produce specific marketing materials, and staff the show. So return on investment is important. Sadly, a lack of preparation and sales skills often equate to disappointing results. This article is primarily written to provide guidance on how to generate sales from an exhibition stand. But firstly, it is important to know why you should exhibit.

WHY EXHIBIT Attendance at a properly targeted exhibition can generate connections with lots of potential buyers for your product or service. That the attendees have committed time to be at the show indicates they are interested but also receptive. And the opportunity for faceto-face engagement with an audience like this is highly valuable. Effective selling from a stand can generate scores of new connections – people who may not have known you previously or would be much more difficult (and time consuming) to access in any other circumstance. Exhibition visitors are actively seeking new products and ideas, so having the opportunity to engage with them should provide a perfect sales platform – if properly approached. Research also shows that exhibition attendees include a high percentage of people who are new to their role; they may be attending as a learning exercise and to gain visibility, but it also means they seek to establish authority in their new role and are prime prospects to win over from existing suppliers.

PREPARATION Turning up at the exhibition – even if you have a well-designed stand – isn’t going to maximise reward unless you have started both your planning and communications well ahead of the show date. Tell your universe you are exhibiting; target those you hope will attend and invite them to meet at the show; build awareness; deliver a consistent message; ensure you are noticed. Your competitors, who are also exhibiting, will inevitably be running their own

marketing campaigns. They too want to discover new business opportunities – and will be targeting your customers! So ensure that your message is distinctive, compelling, and generates engagement. There are multiple ways to approach this, but the fundamentals include: working your mailing list; utilising social media; collaborating with the exhibition organiser to find ways that direct footfall to your stand; and offering a compelling reason that visitors, whether current customers or new prospects, should find you at the show (such as a prize).

SELLING FROM THE STAND Staffing an exhibition stand generally results in it being full of sales personnel – all of whom naturally assume they can sell. But without clarity of objective many will go home without results. Success at an exhibition stand depends on canvassing not selling. The duty of stand staff should be to sieve out from the show attendees – all of whom are “suspects” – to identify and qualify the “prospects”; those with a potential need to buy from your company. In most selling environments, wisdom states “sell yourself first, the company second, then a product”. But in an exhibition environment, you must sell the product first. With limited time and multiple propositions being pitched in the show, the visitor wants to know from outset “what have you got for me?” So sell the benefit first. Statistics show that less than 10 percent of the audience passing an exhibition stand are effectively approached. “Can I help you?” invites rejection. Instead, remember to immediately deliver a hook, for example, “Our hotel has a meeting space for 500 in a beachside location. Might that facility meet your needs?” Find an engaging introduction line; ask open questions that compel response and ideally determine interest. From there you have the potential to get the prospect involved with the product you are selling. Move quickly to qualify the opportunity; establish whether follow up could be beneficial; enquire how you can proceed; make a commitment for action.

DAVID HACKETT Managing Director Meetings Guru Ltd

Importantly, this process will also weed out time wasters. If they are not potential buyers, move them on. And never allow others to use the stand space you have paid for to come and pitch to you!

POST EVENT Post-event action is even more important than preparation. This is where real ROI can result from exhibiting, as prospects are converted to customers. Treat every connection made as an opportunity – and target – for further in-depth conversation. And remember, your competitors are doing the same, so strike early. Our industry isn’t yet as sophisticated as others, where data captured at the trade fair is automatically uploaded to their CRM system. But having invested in exhibiting, make sure you allocate time post-show to engage prospects whilst they are “hot” – and also evaluate what positive out-takes they have from attending. While it might include sending these prospects general marketing materials, there should always be a telephone follow-up. If you have properly qualified the prospect at the show, then you know they have a potential to become a customer. Go chase the business – go close the deal.

David Hackett is managing director of Meetings Guru Ltd. With offices in the UK and Brisbane, Meetings Guru operates internationally to provide consultancy, coaching and resources for the meeting industry.

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GIVE US A BREAK A BREAK IN A MEETING OR CONFERENCE PROGRAM DOES NOT HAVE TO BE LOST TIME. PLAN YOUR BREAKS FOR GREATER ENGAGEMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY.

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#Knowledge

People want value for money. When potential delegates are deciding whether to attend your event, they will usually first look at the program to decide whether the topics are relevant to them. After that decision has been made, they will then look at the networking opportunities to be gained by attending your event.

stamped by the exhibitors to enter a prize draw (donated by your exhibitors)?

This is where you, as the event planner, need to influence the scheduling to give them these opportunities. Delegates need breaks. This is now more evident than ever, due to the rise in technology and our use of it to make initial connections while at events. Delegates need time to come face to face with other delegates, as this is part of what they are paying for when they register to attend your event.

opportunities, or letting delegates do their own organic networking?

If you are working with a program committee, give them the framework to start with by providing a draft blank program that has event breaks already listed. This will influence how the program committee (or you) schedule the sessions. Remember that refreshed delegates will take more in, remember more and have a more enjoyable experience, making them more likely to be return delegates in future. People will only hear what their rear end can stand! This means that if your session is too long, your delegates will start to get uncomfortable sitting, which means that they are no longer engaged with your content and you have lost them. A break doesn’t have to be lost time. As the event manager, are you: for your break? to interact with exhibitors and sponsors? If so, how do you want them to do that? Will there be food in the exhibition, or perhaps a promotional “exhibitors passport” that delegates need to have

refreshments, or do you need your delegates to go and get their own? handicraft demonstrations, local music acts, interactive displays?

Once these questions can be answered and planned for in the initial draft program of the event, you will know how long to schedule breaks for. In my experience, a 15-minute break is only just enough time for delegates to go to the bathroom, grab a cup of tea and maybe check their emails. Longer breaks provide greater opportunities and less likelihood of delegates missing the actual sessions. At one of my events, my schedule starts with panel discussions with very relevant high profile panellists and breakfast provided from 8.00am – 10.00am. Delegates are then given a 30-minute morning tea break, with refreshments provided in the exhibition hall, before heading into a 90-minute concurrent session. After this session they all come back together for lunch, which has guest speakers. They then head into two afternoon sessions with another 30-minute afternoon tea break in the exhibition hall in the middle. I’ve found that such programming works well for this particular event, especially having food in some of our main plenary sessions. Delegates are drawn to food – having the refreshments in the exhibition hall encourages delegates to visit exhibitor booths, and we’ve found that breakfast is a key draw card in getting attendance for an early morning session! When programming, also think about the destination that you are going to.

TANIA GOODACRE Events Manager Australian Trucking Association

Delegates like to do something unique at the destination, particularly if they haven’t been there before. At my most recent event, a highlight of the destination was the city’s markets, which are only open from 8.00am – 2.00pm on a Saturday. To allow time for delegates to explore the market, the official program did not start until 10.30am. This meant that we didn’t have delegates skipping sessions in order to sight see, but made for a later finish to the day. At the same event last year, the destination lent itself to afternoon recreational activities such as swimming. In this case, I started the program at 9.00am, providing an early afternoon finish and plenty of time for delegates to have their time in the sun. As always with event planning, start by asking why you are having the event, and what the event is trying to achieve. Once you have the answers to those two questions, you will be able to build a program around them that will be beneficial to your delegates. In all cases, keep in mind that if a delegate feels that they are missing out on networking, sightseeing, or other opportunities, they will make it happen – often by skipping a “less important” session. You will have empty chairs, and your delegates will miss out on content. Well-planned breaks will help you keep your delegates engaged, happy, and productive!

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A NEW DAWN IT’S NOT JUST FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES – BUSINESS EVENTS ARE LOOKING UP THIS YEAR AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF INACTIVITY. Ever since the government declared 2015 as the Visit the Philippines Year (VPY), the country has been on a roll to demonstrate the remarkable Filipino hospitality. The VPY opened with a high-profile event with the arrival of the Roman Catholic Church head, Pope Francis. The rest of the year looks promising as the Philippines will play host to the Ministerial Meetings and Leaders’ Summit of the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in September and November respectively.

Philippines displayed its strong devotion to its faith when around six million people gathered at the Quirino Grandstand during the celebrated by Pope Francis. His five-day visit resulted in a mass surge in hotel bookings at the Ermita and Malate section of the City of Manila, where most of the Papal events were staged. The city government revealed that hotels in the area were already fully booked since 2014 when the announcement of the Pope’s visit came.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) takes the lead in this campaign, with the support of various agencies, such as the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), in order to generate 8.2 million visitors in 2015. Tourism secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. announced that the VPY will feature “a calendar of events and activities that are an exciting mix of all the outstanding work of the Filipino people, as well as the unveiling of many more historic treasures, natural wonders, and unforgettable adventures. VPY 2015 is an invitation to all, especially our brothers and sisters in ASEAN, to come and partake of the enduring promise of more fun in the Philippines.”

Other pilgrims flocked to Tacloban, where the Pope celebrated mass for typhoon Haiyan survivors. But with less than 1,500 rooms in the city, lodgings in Tacloban and neighbouring Palo were full, most of which were reserved in advance. Coinciding with his visit was the renowned Sinulog Festival in Cebu. Despite travellers trooping to Manila, occupancy rate in metropolitan Cebu posted at 97 percent.

MORE FUN IN FAITH-BUILDING As a predominant Catholic nation, the

MORE FUN IN BUSINESS EVENTS Karem Miranda, senior project officer at TPB, said: “The Philippines is experiencing resurgence in the MICE industry, following several years of inactivity due to the changing priorities and thrusts of the government. The

“

The Philippines is experiencing resurgence in the MICE industry, following several years of inactivity due to the changing priorities and thrusts of the government. The current administration has identified tourism as one of the major economic drivers of the country, and has specified MICE as one of its growth sectors.

“

KAREM MIRANDA Senior Project Officer Philippine Tourism Promotions Board

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Cebu

Pope Francis at the Malacanan Palace in January 2015

“

o improve the standards of the MICE sector in the country, PACEOS partnered with other industry professionals in 2010 to establish the Philippine MICE Academy. It is a training institution designed to uphold the highest benchmarks in the MICE industry through appropriate ongoing education programs that provide industry practitioners better knowledge, updated techniques, and latest industry trends.”

current administration has identified tourism as one of the major economic drivers of the country, and has specified MICE as one of its growth sectors.”

Although business events only accounted for 12 percent of the total tourism income in 2013, the government realised the vast potential of boosting this sector as it understood that a single business conference can generate six times more revenue than regular tourism. As such, DOT is aiming for business events to achieve the 22 percent increase in tourism targets by 2016. It hopes for a bigger turnout next year as the country will be hosting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum. Local business event players also took to task in helping boost and strengthen the Philippine MICE sector amidst the

“

MONETTE ITURRALDE-HAMLIN President of PACEOS

aggressive promotions of other Asian countries. Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers, Inc. (PACEOS) president Monette Iturralde-Hamlin shared: “To improve the standards of the MICE sector in the country, PACEOS partnered with other industry professionals in 2010 to establish the Philippine MICE Academy. It is a training institution designed to uphold the highest benchmarks in the MICE industry through appropriate ongoing education programs that provide industry practitioners better knowledge, updated techniques, and latest industry trends.”

MORE FUN IN NEW VENUES & SIGHTS The Philippines has upped the ante in infrastructure development to make the country more attractive to groups and businesses that are looking for exemplary destinations for their corporate events. The government is working on airport improvements throughout the country, particularly at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and the airports of Davao, Bacolod and Puerto Princesa.

The Philippines’ positive GDP growth at over 7 percent is considered one of the highest in Southeast Asia, and has impacted the progressive business hotel growth in the country. Over 4,600 rooms will be added this year in Metro Manila, and by 2016, DOT is projecting a total of 187,951 hotel rooms in the country. The development of the City of Dreams, Aseana City, Pagcor City, Circuit Makati and other entertainment venues in the capital, alongside hotel and resort constructions in Cebu, Palawan and Boracay, provide more business events options in this 7,107-island nation. The series of APEC ministerial meetings, which will be held in various venues throughout the country, will highlight the existing business event infrastructure in multiple destinations, such as Boracay, Bacolod, Davao, Cebu and Manila. Add to that the English language proficiency of the Filipinos and their wide experience in secretariat roles that make the country more attractive to business events planners. A closer look at the business events potential of the Philippines will fully reveal the gem rightly known as the “Pearl of the Orient Seas”.

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ITAN L O ROP IENCE T E E M EXPER S IN H T CE S TO -HAND N D A V A ST AD HE R A I D I F N S A TS A E FOR A TURE N E L V A BIZ E N THE U LITY, CU I PITA S. S CITY O S H EVENT T I F Z O S NDE S E RNA E H N I L NDY BUS & SA ANG

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MAKE IT HAPPEN IN DUBAI BIZ EVENTS ASIA GOES ON A MEGA FAMILIARISATION TRIP HOSTED BY DUBAI BUSINESS EVENTS, WHICH SHONE THE LIGHT ON SOME REASONS WHY DUBAI ADDS UP AS A BUSINESS EVENTS DESTINATION. WORDS: SANDY L HERNANDEZ

From a quiet coastal settlement that relied on trading, fishing, pearling and shipping for its economy, Dubai has remarkably transformed itself into a major business centre with a diversified economy that counts trading, manufacturing and tourism as its new dominant drivers. Lying in the north-western region of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai has convenient links with its neighbouring Gulf countries; at the crossroads of Europe, South Asia and East Africa. Steen Jakobsen, director of Dubai Business Events, believes Dubai’s strategic location is favourable to making Dubai a business events hub because of its easy access to all corners of the world. Figures from Dubai Airports confirm Jakobsen’s sentiments. According to Lorne Riley, head of corporate communications of Dubai

Airports, Dubai is the world’s number one airport for international passenger traffic (70 million in 2014) which earned Dubai International an Airport of the Year award from the Air Transport News Awards 2015 held in Geneva, Switzerland. Dubai’s strategic location may very well be a major reason for its highly cosmopolitan nature; 90 percent of its population are foreigners from over 200 countries and only 10 percent are Emiratis. This explains the diversity and vibrancy of Dubai. It is a unique place where brilliant ideas from people originating from both Dubai and other parts of the world synergise to make the city an innovative and exciting place to be.

FOCUS ON BUSINESS EVENTS Dubai attributes its emergence as a global hub for trade, transport, business and tourism to its prominence

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Camel ride on the beach at Dubai Marina

as a major destination for international conferences. It sees the MICE industry as a major factor in the country’s quest to reach its projected target of 20 million visitors per year by 2020. To promote the city as a hub for trade associations, Dubai has recently created the Dubai Association Centre (DAC).

DAC is a joint initiative of Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing. Its goal is to attract associations that organise big congresses as it harnesses skills and capabilities gained from managing large-scale events. DAC is expected to be the driver in securing Dubai’s position as the Middle East’s business events hub.

Jakobsen believes the strategy of marketing Dubai as a destination for business events is by focusing on international markets, which is definitely aligned to the initiatives of DAC. “We want to grow our market share of meetings and conferences that rotate around the world. This means finding out what exists, the rotation pattern, and what organisers are looking for. We also need to look for new events that are home grown and can become global

“

ubai’s strategic location is favourable to making Dubai a business events hub because of its easy access to all corners of the world.”

“

events. From there, we need to grow the number of visitors that attend our events year after year by working with event organisers.”

MAKING DUBAI COMPETITIVE

Downtown East, Dubai

With Dubai’s iconic skyscrapers and luxurious 5-star hotels, perception of a pricy tag for a business event follows. Not true. Dinner prices for events executed at many five-star hotels are hovering in the range of U$50-100. Jakobsen also reveals that Dubai is encouraging more three- to four-star hotel developers to build up in Dubai and that biddings have already begun. The key is to provide an accommodation that can be classified as affordable luxury to ensure that Dubai generates a broader appeal from different market segments.

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Elevate your meeting experience. Comprising two iconic towers, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai stands elevated above Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Bay on Sheikh Zayed Road, in the heart of facilities and services for an elevated meeting experience. 1,608 LUXURIOUS GUEST ROOMS

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“

e want to grow our market share of meetings and conferences that rotate around the world. This means finding out what exists, the rotation pattern, and what organisers are looking for. We also need to look for new events that are home grown and can become global events. From there, we need to grow the number of visitors that attend our events year after year by working with event organisers.

STEEN JAKOBSEN Director Dubai Business Events

“

UPCOMING EVENTS IN DUBAI

The Dubai Fountain

Efforts from Dubai Business Events to win bids in hosting international conventions and conferences are certainly paying off. A few of what’s coming up in Dubai are: August 2015: International Dragon Award Congress will see 5,000 members of the Chinese insurance industry fly to Dubai September 2016: Society of Petroleum engineers annual Technical Conference & Exhibition 2017: Society for Brain Mapping & Therapeutics Program (SBMT) Congress 2018: World Congress of International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity & Metabolic Disorders October 2020: World Expo 2020 where the expo will coincide with Dubai’s golden jubilee. Estimated number of visitors is 33.2 million; 25 million of which are unique visitors.

Aquarium in Dubai Mall

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ACTIONPACKED DUBAI ONCE IN THE EMIRATE, A PLETHORA OF ACTIVITIES AWAIT BUSINESS TRAVELLERS. THE MEGA FAMIL HIGHLIGHTS: BURJ KHALIFA

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai

No visit to Dubai is complete without a trip to Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world at 828 metres high. It is the centrepiece of downtown Dubai, surrounded by iconic five-star hotels and finest shopping and entertainment destinations. As the highest man-made vantage point on earth, the Burj Khalifa gives breathtaking 360 degree views of the city â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from the waters of the Gulf to the golden sand dunes of the Arabian Desert and beyond. It is a breathtaking sight to behold and an amazing feat for mankind.

AL SAHRA DESERT RESORT Nestled in the desert dunes, Al Sahra Desert Resort provides the perfect backdrop for an enchanting Arabian style dining under the stars. Torch lights adorn the sand mounds outdoors. The dining area is a sumptuous feast of Middle Eastern staples such as hummus, tabbouleh, or kebabs. With camels and horses in the surround and live entertainment that includes Arabic drumming music, belly dancing and spinning tannura dancers under the stars, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a unique dining experience to be truly enjoyed.

SHEIKH MOHAMMED CENTRE FOR CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding is an eye-opener for Dubai visitors in understanding the customs, traditions and religion of the UAE. Known for its breakfasts and meals hosted by a UAE national, guests can candidly ask questions about Dubai so that myths about its customs and traditions can be differentiated from the facts. It is an enriching activity for expatriates and visitors of Dubai.

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REACHING NEW HEIGHTS IN DUBAI OUR RECENT VISIT TO THE WORLD’S TALLEST HOTEL, JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS DUBAI, SEES ITS VISION ALIGN WITH THE BUREAU’S GOAL TO DOUBLE TOURIST VISITATION NUMBERS TO 20 MILLION BY 2020 AND TO WOO BUSINESS EVENTS WITH AN IRRESISTIBLE PROPOSITION. WORDS: EL KWANG

BUSINESS BAY The hotel is strategically located in the heart of Business Bay, a city within the city adjacent to renowned Downtown Dubai precinct. The Business Bay precinct infrastructure was ready around 2008 and construction is now at its height to furnish this new 64 million sq ft precinct with the right mix of commercial, high-end residential and is set to be the fashionista hub of prestigious Dubai. On arrival, the hotel lobby is intimate for a large hotel with areas that can be set aside for group check-in. The décor witnessed through our visit echoes the

“Marquis” designation of JW Marriott that is reserved for select downtown properties offering the highest level of comfort, technology, personal service, meeting facilities, privacy and worldclass amenities. What’s impressive is each accommodation level only has up to 13 accommodation rooms and suites. Guests need not worry about getting lost amongst the 1,608 rooms.

GEARED UP FOR BUSINESS EVENTS Seasoned business events organisers and incentive specialists will know

that this hotel is serious about the business. Besides the transparency of listing the provision of high-speed internet throughout the property, the strongest evidence is the detailed floor plans for its 8,000-sq m of event space on the business events brochure. The brochure indicates details that an event professional would appreciate, such as the four different types of sockets, hoist points and data ports within the two pillar-less grand ballrooms. According to Shelly Page, a Dubai-based event extraordinaire (www.shellypage.com) who hosted an event there in November 2014, bump-in access is easy, especially for car launches, and the technology is second to none. Page was a huge fan of

THE WORLDS’S TALLEST HOTEL IN NUMBERS

ACHIEVEMENTS Recognised for 31 international & local awards SIZE The tallest hotel in the world-355 metres The largest hotel in the UAE

4,609

GUESTS 572,929 hotel guests. the equivalent of filling 1,507 A380s

site inspections since opening

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as well as an inspiration gallery to spark creativity through a huge bank of event technology, F&B, set ups and experiences.

An incentive programme value-add Maximise the “Marquis” experience by introducing a dine-around of the hotel’s 15 food and beverage outlets in an incentive program. Top-tier incentive guests could start with a high-end networking drink on level 71 and 72 at the Vault cocktail bar and cigar lounge, before descending to Prime68 on level 68 for a boutique steakhouse experience with stunning ocean and city views. For an unforgettable experience, delegates can indulge in an Indian cuisine at Rang Mahal by Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar or Thai at the award-winning Tong Thai restaurant. Others can take on the Amalfi coast experience at Positano restaurant or cave into tempura temptations at the edgy Japanese restaurant, Izayaka.

The great escape Pool deck at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai

the JW Marriott concierge app, which falls under Marriott’s suite of meeting services platform – Meeting Services App.

requests, reviewing and sharing ideas and responses.

Available at nearly 600 Marriott, JW Marriott, Renaissance, The Ritz-Carlton and Autograph Collection hotels, each brand has a different name for it (Red Coat Direct for Marriott Hotels and JW Event Concierge at JW Marriott) but a similar aim – to provide a platform for event planners to connect easily and in real-time with hotel event staff on any web-enabled device 24/7. The apps are available in 20 languages and also support multiple planners making

Entrepreneurial Gen Y and those moving into management positions will be thrilled with the Meetings Imagined program, where meeting set-ups, catering and programme options are as broad as your imagination can go. How about using Pinterest to “pin” your ideas down, and develop a program through crowd-sourced ideas? Tapping on the next generation’s need for “everything visual”, it features tips, trends organised by meeting purpose,

TWo TOWERS

1,608

rooms with occupancies close to 80% throughout 2014

A programme designed for the next Gen

Bid farewell to your event delegates, extend your stay and get lost in the hotel without stepping out. Hang out in the executive lounge, have a post breakfast snooze or laze by the pool for one hour or two. If you must, visit the numerous malls in the nearby precinct but be sure to book yourself into Saray Spa on the third level of the hotel. Inspired by the historic Caravanserais, the spa touches and heals tired souls through its Arabian heritage therapeutic techniques utilising exclusive rejuvenating products made from natural local ingredients. A sure way to get yourself refreshed and ready for the next event. Dubai ballroom

Sales trips

70 sales missions

in 35 countries, visiting 65 cities In total, the sales team travelled over

Expansive event space totalling

8,000m

1.2 million miles since opening

MAY 2015

DUBAI’S HOSPITALITY HEARTBEAT

A MEGA FAMIL BY DUBAI BUSINESS EVENTS RECOMMENDS A VARIETY OF HOTELS – RANGING FROM FIVE-STAR OPULENCE TO THE AFFORDABLE – THAT EXUDE FRIENDLY AND EFFICIENT SERVICE CONSISTENT IN DUBAI. WORDS: SANDY L HERNANDEZ

ATLANTIS THE PALM HOTEL Atlantis is a five-star resort hotel in Dubai of a magnificent scale. It offers a number of big ballrooms and meeting spaces for indoor functions and event spaces overlooking the Dubai Marina skyline for outdoor functions. For a relaxed, fun and a good 1.4 kilometres of pristine beaches, the Nasimi Beach Terrace at Atlantis is ideal for incentive programmes. Private cabanas and sunbeds laid on prime beach locations bring out happy moods that can set even the most tiring day right.

BURJ AL ARAB Burj Al Arab is a sight to behold with its resemblance to a billowing sail of an Arabian Dhow. Inspired by Dubai’s seafaring tradition, it is also the architectural wonder that introduced an ultra-modern Dubai to the rest of the world. Upon entry to the lobby, Arabian opulence is evident in every corner of the interior. This hotel has discrete ensuite check-in and check-out, roundthe-clock butler services, rain showers and jacuzzis in every suite.

SHERATON GRAND HOTEL Located just across the Dubai World Trade Centre, the Sheraton Grand Hotel has 474 guest rooms and suites plus another 180 one- to three-bedroom serviced apartments. The Starlight Ballroom has a banquet seating capacity of 200 and all meeting rooms have natural illumination.

THE ADDRESS DUBAI MALL Contemporary and chic, The Address Dubai Mall, has open and spacious accommodation. It is attached to the Dubai Mall – one of the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destinations. Its elegant Diamond Ballroom can host as many as 600 guests with a special access for car launches. The ballroom can be subdivided into three separate rooms and menus can be customised upon request.

THE PALACE DOWNTOWN DUBAI Centrally located with a unique and luxurious Arabic décor, The Palace Downtown Dubai has a very special event space. Its Pool Area provides a stunning sight of Burj Khalifa with some very prime views of The Dubai Fountain. It can comfortably accommodate up to 500 pax for a reception and can offer event managers a perfect fit for poolcatwalk set-ups or corporate gala dinners.

THE ADDRESS MONTGOMERIE DUBAI Located at the prestigious Emirates Hills in Dubai, the 18-hole championship golf course combined with a stylish 21-suite accommodation makes The Address Montgomerie Dubai a unique choice for incentives or team-building activities. From avid golfers to new learners, the hotel cum golf course has the facilities for an activity-filled and comfortable stay.

PARK HYATT DUBAI Park Hyatt Dubai is a city resort located in Dubai Creek. It has beautifully landscaped patios, terraces and gardens that exude very open and wide spaces. Event and meeting rooms are housed in a dedicated building with a private entrance. The grandest space is the Creek Ballroom which can accommodate as many as 500 seated guests or 800 guests in a cocktail reception set-up.

ARMANI HOTEL Within the stunning architecture of Burj Khalifa is Armani Hotel, well-known for its standout al fresco venue: Armani/ Pavilion. It is located right at the foot of the world’s tallest building. Surrounded by the hotel’s gardens in a terrace location, guests have an unobstructed view of the Dubai Fountain – a truly mesmerising backdrop while guests dine.

Burj Al Arab

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ANNOUNCING A TO YOUR

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Manzamo Cape during sunset, Okinawa,

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A GAME CHANGER IN OKINAWA AN INTERNATIONAL SPORTING EVENT TOOK PLACE IN OKINAWA FOR THE FIRST TIME, DRAWING ATTENTION TO THE JAPANESE PREFECTURE’S ABILITY AS A HOST DESTINATION. Okinawa’s tropical climate, long stretches of white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters with rich marine life have made it a popular tourism destination, particularly among water sport enthusiasts and divers. Situated in the far south of Japan comprising hundreds of Ryukyu Islands, the Okinawa Prefecture has been used as an operations base for the United States during the Battle of Okinawa (Operation Iceberg) and Vietnam War. As a result, US military bases occupy 18 percent of the main island as of 2006, according to the Japan Ministry of Defence, while over 40,000 US Marines, Navy, Army and Air Force personnel and their family members are stationed in Okinawa. With Western influence injected into a predominantly local demographic, the Okinawa prefecture has progressed into an island of vast facilities, attractions and cuisines. Okinawa attracts seven million tourists a year, of which 6.2 million come from other parts of Japan. However, Okinawa’s Naha International Airport is served by direct flights from cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai, paving the way for a greater number of Asian travellers to Okinawa. An indication of a MICE-ready destination is its ability to host large-scale international events and the trust international event planners place in it. Corporate Games, arguably the world’s largest multi-sport festival for businesses and organisations, put its trust in Okinawa this year for the first time by hosting an inaugural Okinawa

edition in March 2015. Since its launch in 1988 in San Francisco, Corporate Games have made its way through the US, Europe, Australia and Asia. Ben Sedgemore, world headquarters CEO of Corporate Games, said choosing a destination for Corporate Games boils down to its appeal. “We look for a destination with good facilities, and a local handler who is very capable of staging it. In Okinawa’s case, we found a good partner in Okinawa Tourist Service,” he said. Okinawa Corporate Games saw 15 sporting categories – including golf, futsal, dragon boat, badminton, swimming, softball and 10-pin bowling, among others – where participants came from all over the world to join local business participants for the games. Companies represented had participants travelling from the UK, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, US, and Taiwan. Most of the activities of Okinawa Corporate Games took place within Chatan Town. Participants and media were put up at Hilton Okinawa Chatan Resort, situated within the Mihama American Village. The party venue was set up in a marquee a stone’s throw from the hotel. Games such as softball, swimming, dragon boating and 10-pin bowling were held around Chatan, while basketball and table tennis matches were held at Okinawa International University; badminton and running at Ginowan City; and golf at Chura Orchard Golf Club and Orion Arashiyama Golf Club.

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Mihama American Village

“

e look for a destination with good facilities, and a local handler who is very capable of staging it. In Okinawa’s case, we found a good partner in Okinawa Tourist Service.

“

BEN SEDGEMORE World Headquarters CEO Corporate Games

EXPLORING OKINAWA BANKOKU SHINRYOKAN Calling itself a “resort MICE facility”, Bankoku Shinryokan was officially launched with the hosting of the 2000 Kyushu-Okinawa G8 Summit. Standing on Busena Point, one of the most scenic spots in Okinawa surrounded by water, it is one of the most iconic business event facilities in Okinawa. Bankoku Shinryokan features a summit hall that spans 441 sq m, capable of holding up to 500 guests in a theatre-style seating. The Ocean Hall, which spans 323 sq m and is divisible into three, can take up to 120 guests banquet-style.

BUSENA TERRACE BEACH RESORT Just adjacent to Bankoku Shinryokan is Busena Terrace Beach Resort, which provided accommodation for the G8 Summit leaders and their delegations back in 2000. It features 392 guest rooms and suites, eight restaurants and bars, as well as various meeting facilities. Its function room, located on the fourth level of the Central Tower, comfortably accommodates up to 204 guests theatre-style, while the meeting room on the third level can host intimate gatherings of up to 12 people.

HILTON OKINAWA CHATAN RESORT A 45-minute drive from Naha International Airport takes you to Hilton Okinawa Chatan Resort, located within the Mihama American Village. With 346 guest rooms, the property is ideal for medium-sized meeting or incentive groups with a 467-sq m grand ballroom that seats 330 guests banquet-style. Its Ryukyu Meeting Room can also hold up to 60 guests for cocktail receptions.

OKINAWA CONVENTION CENTER Okinawa Convention Center is located on the west coast of Okinawa in Ginowan city. It features a multipurpose hall, theatre, conference hall, and smaller meeting rooms. The multi-purpose hall can take up to 5,000 guests, ideal for a wide variety of events such as conferences, exhibitions, or banquets. Loading access can be widened if needed. Within the venue is also a restaurant that offers Okinawanstyle cuisine and snacks, made from organic produce from local farms.

in Okinawa today. While most of it was destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa, it was reconstructed on the original lands and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

OKINAWA WORLD An Okinawan cultural theme park, Okinawa World has a variety of attractions such as a craft village, a snake museum, and the renowned Gyokusendo Cave. The cave is the second longest cave in Japan, with 850 metres open to the public with well-lit walking paths. Gyokusendo Cave, Okinawa World

SHURI CASTLE Shuri Castle is believed to have been built in the 14th century and is one of the most historical and important sites

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Achievements ✽ Developments ✽ Leadership

ASSOCIATIONS FORUM NATIONAL CONFERENCE Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide 14 - 15 July 2015 The Associations Forum National Conference commenced in 2006 and is recognised as the premier meeting for the association sector in Australia and New Zealand. Over 400 attendees and 50 exhibitors are expected in 2015. This year, the city of Adelaide will be hosting the conference for the first time. Adelaide has world-class education and research facilities and is the gateway to some of Australia’s best wine and food country. It is the ideal venue to celebrate our theme of Achievements ✽ Developments ✽ Leadership. Whether you are new to the sector or simply looking for ways to do your job better, you will benefit from attending the Associations Forum National Conference in 2015.

What previous Delegates say about the

Associations Forum National Conference... ❝As a first time delegate to the Associations Forum National Conference, I found the 2 days extremely beneficial to my organisation in helping us to meet the challenges of managing a successful conservation not-for-profit organisation.❞ Kevin Evans, CEO, National Parks Association of NSW

❝Well worth attending – first time delegate, top class speakers with good examples. Ideal for all members of the team.❞ Julie Hood, CEO, New Zealand Veterinary Association

❝A very ‘collegiate’ conference with many options to network and learn. Speakers have uniformly been of a high calibre.❞ Warren Overton, CEO, Australian Glass and Glazing Association

❝This conference hit all the right buttons for me, I found the presenters and panel sessions to be very relevant. The presenters were knowledgeable and from a diverse range of industries.❞ Helen Burdette, Executive Secretary/Company Secretary, Sleep Health Foundation

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THE REBRAND GAME PLAN IN CELEBRATION OF MICENET ASIA’S METAMORPHOSIS INTO BIZ EVENTS ASIA, RESIDENT LEGAL ADVISOR VICKI HENG DISCUSSES REBRANDING AND ITS ACCOMPANYING CONSIDERATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS.

MAY 2015

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#LegalMind

Registering your new logo and brand as a trademark and domain name are fundamental to building up your armory of intellectual property rights. VICKI HENG Director Vicki Heng Law Corporation vicki@vickiheng.com

Rebranding often means more than just a name change. It is a rebirth of identity, image and story. It involves digging deep into an organisation’s raison d’être, its reason for being, before communicating that message to its target audience through a new (or updated) trademark, logo, design, corporate colours, packaging and so on.

BACKGROUND CHECKS Imagine being in the middle of launching your new brand when you realise that a competitor is using something similar, or that some other party has registered a similar name as a trademark. Or you are expanding overseas and the locals there tell you that your mark means something derogatory in their language. For example, “kiri” cheese had to be renamed “kibi” in Iranian countries, as the former meant “rotten” in Persian. A to-do list to avoid these “uh-oh” moments would look something like this: Research your competitor’s activities Conduct trademark and other relevant searches in your home country and countries where you intend to expand into Find out what your mark means in other languages Ensure that all outsourced design work is assigned by you

PROPER USE By all means, put your new brand to work – on your brochures, letterheads, invoices, packaging, website and social media pages, but be sure to be consistent, and never substitute your brand for your product. For instance, “escalator” was once a trademark, but once people started saying “use the escalator” rather than “use the Escalator moving staircase”, it fell into the domain of generic marks and was no longer valid. It is therefore crucial that an organisation communicates to its employees the whys and hows of the new brand, in order to avoid any unwanted confusion or misuse in the market. A successful rebranding exercise extends beyond surface changes. Careful research, planning and education will ensure a smooth and long-lasting transformation.

JotItDown

MARKING YOUR TERRITORY Registering your new logo and brand as a trademark and domain name are fundamental to building up your armory of intellectual property rights. Nobody expects to be copied, but if that should happen, you would want to be equipped with the proper ammunition to protect what is rightfully yours. Having a comprehensive intellectual property portfolio does not have to be an expensive exercise. Like any form of investment, it can be planned out and tailored to your needs and budget.

MAY 2015

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SAVE THE EMBARRASSMENT ASK QUESTIONS IN A LARGE CROWD WITHOUT FEELING EMBARRASSED. DR FELIX RIMBACH SUGGESTS HOW EVENT PLANNERS CAN CREATE VALUE THROUGH AUDIENCE RESPONSE SYSTEMS (ARS).

MAY 2015

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#WiredUp

Audience Response Systems (ARS) have been a key ingredient of the Event Planners cookbook for many years. Starting with hardware solutions and dedicated transmission networks around 30 years ago, a multitude of smartphone applications have now penetrated the market. With hardware as well as software solutions providing distinctly different advantages, the true value of any strategy remains to actually create meaningful engagement and value for the event. The engagement is created or fostered not by specific technology, but by the context of the communication. Certainly the technical components of the hardware and software are of relevance, but mainly to allow getting out of the way of communication than to be a major part of it. The following three considerations showcase how you can create value through ARS and increase the likelihood of a successful deployment:

1) Reducing the barrier to ask questions: The theory of group dynamics suggests that the behaviour in larger / public groups is significantly different than in smaller or private circles. In conferences or business meetings, participants often don’t speak up to ask questions, fearing the perception of other participants in that group. If an ARS facilitates individuals to raise questions discretely and anonymously this can significantly lower the barrier to engage. This not just allows for answering questions and resolving misunderstanding of the audience immediately, but also gives the presenter feedback on what is coming across. To break down the anxiety of being the first to ask questions, the

approach should include giving public access to all questions to all users (with a moderation function). Additionally some (potentially pre-discussed) reference questions should be entered during the presentation to create some initial momentum.

2) Making the system your friend: Before we engage via an app or a hardware device, we have to create some kind of association or trust in it. While we have a personal relationship with our mobile (strangely enough), we tend to be hesitant entering or submitting data into a new app. The right moderation of the ARS can significantly increase the utilisation. The audience should be asked to do several trial votes or enter test questions. Especially early in the presentation, the participants should be not just motivated but explicitly guided through the system. After four to five times of providing feedback or asking one to two questions, most participants will get used to the device / app and are much more likely to use it going forward.

3) Moderate in moderation:

The demographics of the participants will largely determine the engagement pattern via ARS. Based on the context of the event and those demographics, feedback may have to go through some kind of review process. This review allows maintaining a healthy ecosystem in the ARS while fostering more feedback. It remains delicate to request for feedback and to finally ignore it, but in certain cases a trained moderator or speaker has to handle such potential situations. Moderation also means positive reinforcement which fosters the submission of more feedback via the selected platform.

FELIX RIMBACH Director Research & Development Globibo

“

In conferences or business meetings, participants often don’t speak up to ask questions, fearing the perception of other participants in that group. If an ARS facilitates individuals to raise questions discretely and anonymously this can significantly lower the barrier to engage.

“

An engineer once said: “The only remaining advantage of personal communication is to see the direct reaction of the other person towards the situation.” Clearly this engineer underestimated the ingenuity of event technology, which now provides a broad spectrum of nifty solutions to also eradicate this last need for any personal interaction.

JotItDown

While the three considerations above can just serve as a selected insight and examples in general, the event organiser has to put a particular emphasis on how to create such engagement with the selected technology. The technology will not create the engagement – the speaker or moderator has to… (At least still some use of us humans after all).

MAY 2015

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27/4/15 10:54 pm

#SoulSearching

FACING YOUR MOUNTAIN A TREKKING TRIP IN NEPAL SHOWS A FATHER AND HIS 15-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOSENESS AND OVERCOMING EMOTIONAL BARRIERS. WORDS: LIM WEE YIN Finally we made it- Thorlong La pass

, 5416m

e end rture. Th d was to e This trip m . u g s n s as I wro what I a f w o n d nce, and m n a e ersevera about, d nd. The p e y , y p e p it r a th g h d arke to be e, inte Today m rth, prid as going ught I w , self-wo o e c th n I e d h n whic depe s? What e a lot: In of other s taught m g in t r e . more ys? Wha al suff to the re so much ve for da r d ta e r s is a e p e r r e ar he ers h ms com en a doll en villag y proble pore wh hour, wh ll are m a theirs? a g n to a m in s r S d e fo w r Ho e tap in alking compa th w g n d in o n r a e g r ff in rn y su is hunge ey like tu hat is m n ing mon a day? W ut we ca in n r a is spend e roads, b ly g b n a lo b ; o e ip r yp ay b this tr what the t there m ople on e g me tha many pe in o h s lives of th c t a e e te th m ious of ny. I’ve pal. For v e a e n p e th N m e g u o b o in c y d I may be do Thank with goo at I will nd kind. enjoy nything sured th refree a s a a c hen you y o w s tl survive a t n e is r x ta a e s t s n r o o e n c k s ek doe t I am all the tr torture” now, bu e word “ I’ve met th s plicity. r t e a im k s th k f e t tr e art o th y. I learn a te d you feel ia e c n e o same g – when to appr in n r th a y r le e v r yo ns. I saw end to e an activit and dow re is an s e p u th f t o a spoiled, is full me th are quite l taught r all, life il e e h r ft p o A u p . a hone b g g lls or iP ep goin s in Sin Our clim , just ke arbie Do ndy; kid p a B u c f r g o h o it l in e c w iv te ndan appy like g t’s ho Nepal h their abu ir paren e ce to in h n it th s a t w id h a c k n g e e little servin appy ev tting th in e h t g n r u n , fo e y v m a e s d co s or I would ere foun ustomer e kids h ding to c n e tt a , apps. Th s es nt busin ave the restaura I am to h te a l. n o that tu o r ch wed me how fo attend s and sho , e realise it’s ty m r If e e . v d d o a s to p the en pal m rs in Ne d my eye e okay in e te b n n l e u il p o o w c e n g v The e rythin They ha ain. Eve t things. ads of p o r simples s s le e no end there ar the end. , it’s not y not oka

Quality family time is founded on open heart exchange and interaction. More so for the family members who have shared the years of growing up together, forming a cohesive family identity through the passage of time. When we set out, my daughter Bing and I both had a common goal – to cross the 5410-metre high Thorlong La pass in the Annapurna mountain range, a first for Bing who had barely scaled 1000-metre peaks in Malaysia before our trek in the Himalayas. While the initiation to high altitude trekking was physically demanding to her during the first few days, it was gradually rewarded by the sheer admiration of the surrounding mountains and its charming villagers. I kept a keen watch on her physical performance and her unfailing spirit to the challenge through daily exchange and constant encouragement. Bing finally made it to the pass without incident, much less from acute mountain sickness. As a father, I saw the journey as a once in a lifetime opportunity to connect with my daughter, and form the fabric of our bond into the future, with many tales of the high places and deep nights solely shared between us. We were linked by a common goal in a foreign land with reduced influence from the Internet. We walked daily and felt stronger by the day. We learnt of each other’s little habits and preferences and developed mutual acceptance in a world that was “just the two of us”. We shared our lives by doing our parts and completed the journey together.

Bing

MAY 2015

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THE SOUND OF SILENCE IN TODAY’S HIGH-CHARGED BUSINESS CLIMATE, WHAT WE MAY NEED IS THE OCCASIONAL ART OF STANDING STILL. WORDS: KRISTIE THONG The cars whizz by, tires running over gravel with the occasional honk. A group of teenagers walk by, laughing loudly. My mobile phone buzzes, and I know it is a notification for a text message or an email even before I look at it. I walk down the road and try to avoid the human traffic, but what do you expect of metropolitan cities – these prominent, high-functioning powerhouses that never sleeps? We live in a society that predominantly favours extroversion over introversion. Many look to the dynamism of extroverted leaders, while deducting introverted professionals as passive. Your ability to communicate is what sets you apart. Being an introvert in a publication that looks at the engaging, lively world of business events, there are too many instances where I crave a momentary detachment from all the excitement. A metaphoric step aside to watch the cogs of a watch turn, while taking a deep breath, before continuing. A day of minimal interaction to reflect and recharge for what’s next to come. Bali has a Hindu celebration called nyepi where a day is dedicated to silence,

fasting and meditation. Known as the Balinese Hindu’s new year, this day marks the cleansing of the buana alit (the human) and buana agung (the universe). Once a year, Bali is at a complete standstill – with no lights, no work, no entertainment, no travel – to allow those who are celebrating nyepi to cleanse their mind, body and spirit.

Nyepi is celebrated every year by the Balinese, and supported by the government with regulations to respect those who are celebrating. Tourists are encouraged to keep lighting and noise to a minimum, and not wander off hotel grounds when necessary. For locals, nyepi acts like a spiritual retreat. According to editorial advisory board member Daniel Aswin, it is “a reminder that we all need to stop once in a while – in this case, once a year – and really reflect on life, what we’ve done, what we’ve said and how we’ve treated others”. I ask an expat who has been living there for the past 15 years about his experience. “I enjoy staying home and really embracing the moment

tranquillity, and appreciate the quality time where all is given chance to rest while the earth breathes, so to speak,” he says. The religious focus aside, I deeply appreciate a destination’s united stand on supporting a day of silence. Particularly in a world where “being busy” or productive seems to equate to a fuller and more successful life. Be it standing still amid a bustling street or 30 minutes spent alone in reflection – these treasured moments offer us a chance to retain the very essence of our individuality – our thoughts and what we stand for. Stillness allows us to preserve our true spirits so that we do not lose ourselves in the pursuit of perceived happiness that is defined by vocal expressions. Perhaps to me, happiness is – for the most part – the sound of silence in a world of noise. As revered travel writer Pico Iyer puts it: “In an age of acceleration, nothing can be more exhilarating than going slow. And in an age of distraction, nothing is so luxurious as paying attention. And in an age of constant movement, nothing is so urgent as sitting still.”

MAY 2015

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MAY 2015

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