Biz Events Asia November 2015 by BEAM

NOV 2015 BIZEVENTSASIA.COM

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RoGER SImoNS GUEST EDITOR roger.simons@mci-group.com

GINA SIN SENIOR WRITER gina@bizeventsasia.com

EL KWANG PUBLISHER MANAGING & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR el@bizeventsasia.com

51A Kreta Ayer Road, Singapore 089008 Tel: +65 6337 8781 Fax: +65 6337 9060 @bizeventsasia.com Website: bizeventsasia.com

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

SENIOR WRITER Gina Sin gina@bizeventsasia.com

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION PIXO fanix@pixosolutions.com

GUEST EDITOR Roger Simons Group Sustainability Manager MCI Headquaters Asia Pacific Region

OFFICE MANAGER Rev Karunakaran rev@bizeventsasia.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Louis Allen louis@bizeventsasia.com

NOV 2015

CONTRIBUTORS

CHINESE CONSULTANT KH Tok

# We may be familiar with the idiom “when push comes to shove” to indicate the need to embrace something we may not fully understand, just like convincing a child to eat greens with a firm directive “they are good for you”. But what is our attitude towards sustainability? Is it too hard, too much or too expensive to implement?

Biz Events Asia seized the opportunity to work with the king of sustainability, Roger Simons of MCI Group. His passion for this topic is as infectious as his laughter. We are most grateful for his generosity in sharing his knowledge and co-writing #TheSustainabilityIssue article (page 16) with us. The article focuses on the sustainability movement, and whether luxury and sustainability can co-exist as well as the measurement of its success. We wanted to stretch your imagination by starting our Delve Into destination section with Ulaanbaatar. Where, you might ask? Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia that has won rights to host the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM) in July 2016. Its government leads green economy initiatives by implementing projects such as “Assessing Energy Efficiency Potential in Mongolia”.

NOVEMBER 2015

sustain ABILITY In October, we embarked on a journey with a chock-full of meaningful CSR activities throughout Taiwan. We also questioned experts on sustainable workforce strategies over a discussion panel at ITB Asia in Singapore. We thank the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) for sponsoring our initiative in printing this magazine using FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified 100% recycled paper and for turning our magazine cover masthead from silver to green. For more information, please visit www.fsc.org. Our cover story (page 14) highlights how TCEB’s new “Thailand CONNECT…Our Heart, Your World” campaign boosts their reputation as a leading sustainable business events host. Implementing sustainability is not that hard when we understand why we need to do something about it. It is much easier when we focus on the ABILITY part of the word sustainability. With the depth of industry relationships built over the years, resources and technological capability, surely, as an industry, we have the ABILITY to make a change. We hope you enjoy this green issue.

NOV 2015 BIZEVENTSASIA.COM

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Biz Events Asia is the official media partner and member of: Our cover image is courtesy Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB). Read about Thailand's sustainability efforts from page 14

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

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MONGOLIA

United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) GEO-5 Youth Camp Kubiqi Desert, Mongolia | October 2015

JAPAN

CHINA

The Fifth Asian Conference on Sustainability, Energy and the Environment 2015 Kobe, Japan | June 2015

International Conference on Agriculture and Sustainability Shanghai, China | August 2015

THAILAND

Thematic Meeting of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Network of Ozone Officers Bangkok, Thailand | October 2015

MALAYSIA

Sustainable Brands Conference Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | October 2015

SINGAPORE

International Green Building Conference (IGBC) Singapore | September 2015

COVER STORY

#CoverStory

Thailand leadS in SuSTainabiliTy efforTS

Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)'s efforts in sustainability

Confirmed lineup of major evenTS

From the food and entertainment offered to delegates, to how they’re transported, or even how venues are constructed and renovated, host destinations like Thailand are turning to ‘regionalisation’, whereby utilising local suppliers is emphasised, as is inviting local and regional audiences. As the Thai government’s flagship body for the sector, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is playing a leading role in driving Thailand’s niche in this area, aiming to boost the country’s leadership position in Asia’s business events industry. TCEB has long promoted sustainability with the aim of developing Thailand to be as a sustainable business events host, such as by drawing up a fiveyear MICE Sustainability Thailand model scheme, as well as the launch of a new campaign in 2016. To be rolled out between 2016 and 2020, the first of four phases of the five-year scheme will see the formation of the National Sustainable Destination Committee, with the ultimate goal of gaining certification as a destination for MICE sustainability from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council by 2020.

Thailand’S poTenTial on The world STage A holistic view of sustainability forms one part of TCEB’s drive to reassert Thailand’s position as a destination with ‘heart’, and

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

standard, which is being used as a model for the ASEAN MICE venue Standard. Next is ‘Professional Partnerships’, with MICE professionals nurtured by a strong business events curriculum, internationally recognised business event courses, and teacher training, and thirdly, ‘Welcomes Made in Thailand’, emphasises the essence of ‘Thainess’, which is to serve from the heart and with a smile.

In an industry where the only constant is change, and competition among destinations is hot, markets such as Thailand are harnessing the potential of sustainability to transform the way business is done.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Words: KANE MAThESoN

ThAIlAND INITIATES NEW CAMPAIGN FoR 2016 To BooST REPUTATIoN AS SUSTAINABlE BUSINESS EvENTS hoST

Already known as one of the world’s premier business events hosts, Thailand is set to raise its reputation even further through Thailand CoNNECT…our heart, Your World. Initiatives such as this, as well as Thailand’s strong reputation for sustainability, mean the country is a trusted host for international business events of all kinds.

at the ‘heart of ASEAN’ among the international business community. Through the ‘Thailand CoNNECT… our heart, Your World’ brand communication campaign, which was just launched by TCEB for the 2016 fiscal year, TCEB is set to spearhead a new era for the sustainable business events industry. The three key pillars of the industry bring highlighted include: Destinations of Thailand, under the tagline ‘Destinations of Desire’; Business in Thailand, which emphasises Thailand’s sustainable role as ‘the hub of ASEAN’, and People of Thailand: focusing on ‘Passionate hearts, Seamless Excellence’. The ‘Thailand CoNNECT…our heart, Your World’ brand communications campaign aims to capture the

essence of Thailand’s unique position as a preferred global business events destination, highlighting how the country’s service-oriented translates into tangible opportunities for business travellers. Underlying the campaign is a strong focus on sustainable strategies and practices, which are presented in line with boosting Thailand’s reputation as a sustainable destination – a passion shared by TCEB and all Thai business event stakeholders. The strategies are brought to life under seven key themes that form the basis of a visitors’ itinerary, including fascinating history and culture, treasured team building, exhilarating adventures, CSR and Green meetings, lavish luxury, experiential escapes, and beach bliss. Digging deeper, the ‘Destination’ element of the campaign highlights the ‘Endless

NOV 2015

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

opportunities to Experience’ Thailand’s unique culture. The campaign highlights the more practical elements too, showcasing how the country’s world-class infrastructure and ease of access make Thailand a key, sustainable hub for connecting business in the fastgrowing ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). linking the World Seamlessly through free WiFi at Thailand’s seven international airports and stateof-the-art meeting facilities and technology at MICE venues nationwide completes the ‘destination’ picture. The sustainable ‘Business’ pillar, meanwhile, emphasises how strategically located in the heart of South-East Asia, Thailand is an expanding hub of trade, manufacturing and industry, acting

as a gateway into ASEAN and the fledgling ASEAN Economic Community. As a ‘Market of high Potential’, Thailand has been ranked the world’s fifth best emerging market, with world-leading export industries. looking more broadly, the campaign also highlights how Thailand is at the ‘Beating heart of Asia’ and has become one of the region’s true tiger economies, and is the ‘AEC’s Driving Force’. These combined factors – Thailand’s role on the world stage, hub of ASEAN, and driver of the AEC – continues to draw substantial revenue into the country every year, in turn further advancing Thailand’s capabilities and development. Finally, it’s Thailand’s sustainable ‘People’ that take centre stage, offering ‘Passionate hearts, Seamless Excellence’. TCEB highlights how the excellence element is shown through the Thailand MICE venue

later this month, Bangkok will be the first city in Asia to host the prestigious one Young World Summit 2015, the bid for which was won in the midst of political uncertainty last year, underscoring international confidence in Thailand. other important event wins over the coming year include the organo Gold Asia Convention 2015 the Asia Fitness Conference and Expo 2015, and TBEX Asia. Given this lineup, it’s not surprising that TCEB confirmed its full year visitor number projections, announcing it expects to welcome 1,036,300 business events visitors in 2015, earning the Thai economy US$3.03 billion, which is anticipated to grow to 1,089,000 business travellers and US$3.36 billion in 2016. With such a busy year ahead, Thailand seems to have tapped in to a formula that will ensure not only environmental sustainability, but sustainable success for the country’s business events industry.

NOV 2015

Selina Chavry Golbal Managing Director Pacific World

Daniel Chua Managing Director AONIA MICE

Andrew Chan CEO | ACI HR Solutions

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SoUtH KorEA

ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability) World Congress Seoul, South Korea | April 2015

November 15

ISSUE 6 #SoundBites 10 #TakingTheLead 38 #DelveInto Taiwan

12 #WebSpace

Asia Super Team 2015 competition

42 #DelveInto Thailand

Congress undeterred by SARS and bombing

16 #TheSustainabilityIssue Does anyone care?

30 #Knowledge

BestCities does it again

50 #DelveInto Vietnam

Is sustainability a challenge in Vietnam?

32 #LegalMind

How to protect your ideas

54 #DelveInto Singapore

34 #DelveInto Mongolia

A 50-year sustainability journey

Ulaanbaatar prepares for 11 Asia-Europe Meeting Summit

AUStrALIA

64 #Deals 43

The 15th International Australasia Campuses Towards Sustainability Conference Geelong, Australia | October 2015 Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss our special supplement

Thailand - where creative minds disconnect to reconnect

ilativned Tha minds re crea

n Destinatio entives gs & Inc te Meetin The Ultima

ect dtoiscocnonnnect re

whe

TCEB Supplement 2015.indd 1

Ho Yoke Ping General manager business events malaysia Convention & exhibition bureau (myCeb)

Deanna Varga Assistant Director Commercial & visitor Services Australian National maritime museum

Max Jantasuwan Group managing Director events Travel Asia

Sumate Sudasna President | Thailand Incentive & Convention Association (TICA) mD | CDm Thailand

17/9/15 12:48 am

Daniel Aswin Co-founder Absolutions

Neeta Lachmandas executive Director The Institute of Service excellence, Singapore management University

NOV 2015

THAILAND Gearing up for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) will be host to three large-scale exhibitions starting from October 2015 to January 2016, bringing more than 10,000 visitors to Phuket. Held in October this year, the Asia Pacific Cigar, Whisky & Lifestyle Expo (APCWL) was a first for Asia. Showcasing the largest range of cigars, whisky and luxury lifestyle consumables ever seen in the region, it also ran concurrently with a conference programme and social activities along Royal Phuket Marina’s Boardwalk. Following this are two other events, namely the Food and Hotelex, as well as the Phuket International Boat Show.

USA Spurred by buoyant confidence and interest from Southeast Asian travel buyers, Brand USA returned with the largest U.S. contingent ever for the third time at ITB Asia this year, held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre from October 21 – 23, 2015. This year, the Brand USA Pavilion has been certified by the U.S. Department of Commerce, and is actively promoting off-the-beaten-path experiences and the great outdoors across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories.

PHILIPPINES

SMX Convention Center has announced Walid Wafik as vice president – general manager, and Rubi De Vera as the new area vice president for sales. Wafik brings over 21 years of experience in the hotel industry, having worked for international hotel chains such as Oberoi Hotels, InterContinental, Starwood, and ShangriLa. He was most recently area general manager at Taal Vista Hotel, Pico Sands Hotel and Pico De Loro Beach and Country Club. De Vera is a seasoned hotelier with more than 17 years in the field of sales and event management, and was previously the director of convention sales at Makati Shangri-La.

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More than just a meeting place Persuasive reasons Abu Dhabi should be the next host city for your event: With a host of world-class hotels to choose from offering corporate, convention and beach locations, thrilling attractions and activities that excite and inspire, sporting and recreational excellence as well as a vibrant cultural scene, boasting a unique blend of Arabian hospitality and heritage alongside modern day art and culture… …there’s never been a better time to discover Abu Dhabi

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SINGAPORE Organised by Reed Exhibitions, the inaugural Green Living 2015 exhibition held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre from September 4 to 6, 2015 has conceptualised Singapore’s first dedicated sustainability and design show held in conjunction with The International Green Building Conference (IGBC) 2015, Build Eco Xpo (BEX) Asia and Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) Asia. As part of the annual Singapore Green Building Week (SGBW), the series of events attracted over 5,800 visitors and had close to 100 brands showing the many ways how everyday decisions can have a major impact on the planet.

# GLOBAL

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group in its 12th year of Responsible Business Action Month has organised more than 1,300 activities, 37,000 volunteer hours, and raised a total of USD360,000 for the World Childhood Foundation and other local charities among 1,100 of the group’s hotels. Employees at Carlson Rezidor hotels and corporate offices contributed activities that were aligned with the needs of their communities and brand identities, including book drives in the US; serving breakfast to children in need across Europe, Middle East and Africa; clean-up drives in India; as well as community service and blood donation drives in the Asia Pacific region.

CHINA

Home-grown Chinese luxury hospitality hotel, Nuo Hotel Beijing, has joined Ultratravel Collection, a joint venture between Global Hotel Alliance, Travel Leaders Group and multi-media brand Ultratravel to strengthen the brand’s presence in Asia. As a member of Ultratravel Collection, each hotel is able to offer guests the benefits of the DISCOVERY loyalty programme launched in 2010 that has over six million members, of which nearly half a million are from China.

NUMBERS

20% The goal Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. set in 2009 to reduce its water consumption across all hotels globally by 2020. By the end of 2014, Starwood has already used 17 percent less water.

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# FROM THE BUREAUX AUSTRALIA Ecocity World Summit is set to put Melbourne’s sustainability credentials centre stage when the conference comes to the city in 2017. An estimated 1,000 leading international urban planners, architects and environmental specialists will gather in Melbourne to discuss world-leading sustainable city initiatives, and will contribute an anticipated amount of AUD3 million (USD 2.14 million) to the state’s economy. Kirstin Miller, executive director of the US-based Ecocity Builders (ECB) said: "Melbourne’s winning bid for the 2017 Summit was outstanding. For one, they are setting out to strongly integrate economics, politics and culture into the debate and context shaped by ecology.” An ECB initiative, the Ecocity World Summit is a non-profit organisation that provides education for ecological design. It develops policy, design, educational tools and strategies to build urban centres based on access by proximity and to reverse patterns of sprawl and excessive consumption.

TAIWAN MEET TAIWAN has experienced another year of success at the recent IMEX America from October 13 to 15, 2015. Taiwan’s delegation of full-service business event suppliers provided prompt and complete advice during the one-on-one business sessions to help partners gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s offerings. Through 40 business discussions, more than 3,000 attendees are expected to

head to Taiwan for incentive tours and international meetings. IMEX America is one of MEET TAIWAN’s most productive trade shows to exhibit at, having had 29 incentive tours come through Taiwan in 2014. To encourage and promote sustainability, Taiwan's government has endeavoured to decrease environmental disruption caused by MICE activities. IMEX and other primary MICE associations have recognised the importance of the “Green Exhibition Guidelines” developed by MEET TAIWAN. This indicates that Taiwan is not only aware of the significant role venues and organisers play in the MICE environment, but also has the expertise to step up and have a more positive impact on society.

From left: Kylie McKenzie, Gary Pearce, Juliet Alabaster and Jill Wimberley

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Singapore The Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS) has appointed Tan Guan Heng as its chief executive officer, shortly before its members clinched 12 awards at the prestigious Singapore Experience Awards organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). An industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience in events and training, Tan has held leadership roles in Terrapinn, ZDNet and CityNeon (Concepts). He was most recently director (Asia Pacific) at the International Council of Shopping Centers where he spent a decade developing and implementing professional training programmes for the association’s members in the region.

Tan Guan HenG SACEOS

According to Janet Tan-Collis, president of SACEOS, the association will be focusing on enhancing its educational offerings over the next few years to help Singapore’s MICE and events professionals gain international accreditation. “With his strong track record in training, Tan is well placed to lead this important initiative that would help raise the level of skills and professionalism across the industry and strengthen the competitiveness of Singapore’s MICE industry”. “The key behind Singapore’s growth into one of the region’s leading MICE destinations is our people and it is imperative that we continue to equip them so as to increase their competency and maximise their potential,” said Tan Guan Heng. Tan takes over the helm of SACEOS from executive director Lilian Kuan, who was previously on secondment from Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in 2013. Kuan will be returning to STB in January 2016. During her two year stint as SACEOS’ executive director, Kuan has raised awareness of the industry among educational institutions and introduced training programmes which placed Singapore as the only Asian country to hold courses and conferences accredited by the Convention Industry Council with Continuing Education (CE) clock hours.

NOV 2015

# What you missed online on

WWW.BIZEVENTSASIA.COM

# Light metal drives fuel efficiency Boeing released a short film about the potential of using Microlattice, a material that is 100 times lighter than Styrofoam and is made of 99.99 percent air. Microlattice is an ideal material for future airplanes with better fuel efficiency.

Shangri-La VR The world of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts can now be explored through its 360-degree immersive videos. Download these video files from their website and watch it through any virtual reality (VR) headset that supports the Oculus platform.

BTMICE website YourSingapore has refreshed its BTMICE website to allow customised content, a one-stop resource hub for event planning information, consolidated business eventrelated news and a bulletin board.

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#CoverStory

THAILAND LEADS IN SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

WORDS: KANE MATHESON

THAILAND INITIATES NEW CAMPAIGN FOR 2016 TO BOOST REPUTATION AS SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS EVENTS HOST In an industry where the only constant is change, and competition among destinations is hot, markets such as Thailand are harnessing the potential of sustainability to transform the way business is done. From the food and entertainment offered to delegates, to how they’re transported, or even how venues are constructed and renovated, host destinations like Thailand are turning to ‘regionalisation’, whereby utilising local suppliers is emphasised, as is inviting local and regional audiences. As the Thai government’s flagship body for the sector, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is playing a leading role in driving Thailand’s niche in this area, aiming to boost the country’s leadership position in Asia’s business events industry. TCEB has long promoted sustainability with the aim of developing Thailand to be as a sustainable business events host, such as by drawing up a fiveyear MICE Sustainability Thailand model scheme, as well as the launch of a new campaign in 2016. To be rolled out between 2016 and 2020, the first of four phases of the five-year scheme will see the formation of the National Sustainable Destination Committee, with the ultimate goal of gaining certification as a destination for MICE sustainability from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council by 2020.

THAILAND’S POTENTIAL ON THE WORLD STAGE A holistic view of sustainability forms one part of TCEB’s drive to reassert Thailand’s position as a destination with ‘heart’, and

at the ‘heart of ASEAN’ among the international business community. Through the ‘Thailand CONNECT… Our Heart, Your World’ brand communication campaign, which was just launched by TCEB for the 2016 fiscal year, TCEB is set to spearhead a new era for the sustainable business events industry. The three key pillars of the industry being highlighted include: Destinations of Thailand, under the tagline ‘Destinations of Desire’; Business in Thailand, which emphasises Thailand’s sustainable role as ‘the hub of ASEAN’, and People of Thailand: focusing on ‘Passionate Hearts, Seamless Excellence’. The ‘Thailand CONNECT…Our Heart, Your World’ brand communications campaign aims to capture the

essence of Thailand’s unique position as a preferred global business events destination, highlighting how the country’s service-orientation translates into tangible opportunities for business travellers. Underlying the campaign is a strong focus on sustainable strategies and practices, which are presented in line with boosting Thailand’s reputation as a sustainable destination – a passion shared by TCEB and all Thai business event stakeholders. The strategies are brought to life under seven key themes that form the basis of a visitors’ itinerary, including fascinating history and culture, treasured team building, exhilarating adventures, CSR and Green meetings, lavish luxury, experiential escapes, and beach bliss. Digging deeper, the ‘Destination’ element of the campaign highlights the ‘Endless

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standard, which is being used as a model for the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard. Next is ‘Professional Partnerships’, with MICE professionals nurtured by a strong business events curriculum, internationally recognised business event courses, and teacher training, and thirdly, ‘Welcomes Made in Thailand’, emphasises the essence of ‘Thainess’, which is to serve from the heart and with a smile.

CONFIRMED LINEUP OF MAJOR EVENTS Already known as one of the world’s premier business events hosts, Thailand is set to raise its reputation even further through Thailand CONNECT…Our Heart, Your World. Initiatives such as this, as well as Thailand’s strong reputation for sustainability, mean the country is a trusted host for international business events of all kinds.

Opportunities to Experience’ Thailand’s unique culture. The campaign highlights the more practical elements too, showcasing how the country’s world-class infrastructure and ease of access make Thailand a key, sustainable hub for connecting business in the fastgrowing ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Linking the World Seamlessly through free WiFi at Thailand’s seven international airports and stateof-the-art meeting facilities and technology at MICE venues nationwide completes the ‘destination’ picture. The sustainable ‘Business’ pillar, meanwhile, emphasises how strategically located in the heart of South-East Asia, Thailand is an expanding hub of trade, manufacturing and industry, serving

as a gateway into ASEAN and the fledgling ASEAN Economic Community. As a ‘Market of High Potential’, Thailand has been ranked the world’s fifth best emerging market, with world-leading export industries. Looking more broadly, the campaign also highlights how Thailand is at the ‘Beating Heart of Asia’ and has become one of the region’s true tiger economies, and is the ‘AEC’s Driving Force’. These combination of factors – Thailand’s role on the world stage, hub of ASEAN, and driver of the AEC – continues to draw substantial revenue into the country every year, in turn further advancing Thailand’s capabilities and development. Finally, it’s Thailand’s sustainable ‘People’ that take centre stage, offering ‘Passionate Hearts, Seamless Excellence’. TCEB highlights how the excellence element is shown through the Thailand MICE venue

Later this month, Bangkok will be the first city in Asia to host the prestigious One Young World Summit 2015, the bid for which was won in the midst of political uncertainty last year, underscoring international confidence in Thailand. Other important event wins over the coming year include the Organo Gold Asia Convention 2015, the Asia Fitness Conference and Expo 2015 and TBEX Asia. Given this lineup, it’s not surprising that TCEB confirmed its full year visitor number projections, announcing it expects to welcome 1,036,300 business events visitors in 2015, earning the Thai economy US$3.03 billion, which is anticipated to grow to 1,089,000 business travellers and US$3.36 billion in 2016. With such a busy year ahead, Thailand seems to have tapped in on a formula that will ensure not only environmental sustainability, but sustainable success for the country’s business events industry.

NOV 2015

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#TheSustainabilityIssue

THE SUSTAINABILITY ISSUE BIZ EVENTS ASIA EXPLORES SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND RECYCLING PAPER.

NOV 2015

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SUSTAINABILITY, WHO CARES? THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES TO GROW GLOBALLY IN HOSPITALITY AND EVENTS. HAS ASIA FINALLY REACHED ITS TIPPING POINT? WORDS: EL KWANG ROGER SIMONS

In early 2015, a former Chinese broadcast journalist released a self-financed documentary on air pollution in China. Titled “Under the Dome”, Chai Jing provided a clear and in-depth exploration of air pollution in many Chinese cities, complete with footage from factory visits and interviews with government officials, environmental academics, business owners and most powerfully, children who’d never seen a blue sky. Emphasising on the detrimental effects of PM 2.5 (tiny particles in the air that reduces visibility when levels are high), Chai showed how activities of the booming economy have led to heightened levels of pollution. If left unchecked, she believed China would face a situation similar to London’s Great Smog of 1952, where an excessive and rapid use of coal coupled with cold weather led to a thick layer of smog over the city for five days. This severe case of air pollution was reported to have caused about 4,000 deaths, which prompted the implementation of the Clean Air Act in 1956 to reduce air pollution in the UK.

parts of the Philippines and Thailand are covered under a blanket of haze from palm plantations burning in Sumatra.

Environmental issues have been on the global radar for several years, gaining significant heat during the release of “An Inconvenient Truth”, a 2006 documentary on former US presidential candidate Al Gore’s campaign to educate American citizens about global warming. While usually considered a concern of Western economies, the controversial documentary by Chai Jing shows winds shifting in the direction of Asia, where booming businesses and emerging economies inadvertently result in higher levels of pollution and waste. As the magazine goes to press, Singapore, Indonesia,

It seems the industry does care. GreenLeaders, TripAdvisor’s sustainable ranking for hotels, was designed to “give consumers around the world a simple way to make greener travel choices, right at the point at which they are making that decision”. 8,000 hotels are already participating, and the programme is likely to head to Asia in the near future. Sustainability efforts are becoming a leading criteria in bidding for international events, especially of scale. Over the next few pages, Biz Events Asia brings you on a sustainability journey paved with questions often asked by the Asia business events industry.

ISO20121 certifications are growing in Macao, Singapore, Thailand and Dubai with Asian company Pico. This standard, specifically for meetings and events was launched in 2012. ISO 20121 – Event Sustainability Management Systems was launched at the London Olympics. Understanding how events and their supply chain take a huge toll on resources and generate huge amounts of waste, the ISO 20121 standard offers guidance to help organisers control the social, economic and environmental impact of every event. Thailand was the first country in Asia and second in the world to adopt the standard after the United Kingdom, and had a large volume of its business events operators certified under the global standard by 2014. Many event venues and hotels in mature Asian markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore are increasingly expanding their green initiatives for meetings and events.

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#TheSustainabilityIssue

THE EVOLUTION OF CSR PROJECTS THE FUTURE OF CSR IS HERE, AND IT IS STRATEGICALLY ALIGNED WITH BUSINESS EVENT FOCUS THAT USES PARTICIPANTS’ CORE SKILLS TO DRIVE COMMUNITY BENEFITS. The traditional model of CSR activities for corporates at events has been transforming over the years. Gone are the days when it was good enough for businesses to send their teams out planting trees or doing a one-off activities like painting the walls of an orphanage. Today’s participants have most likely been there, done that, and have a more discerning palate for giving back. Majority of client organisations that own philanthropic strategies have significantly matured and evolved. MCI Group has been witnessing a wholesale change in the type of projects requested from leading corporate clients, which are much closer aligned to the business mission of their own operations. These are also led by the rise of “skills-based volunteering”, whereby the volunteers utilise their skills rather than being deployed into a field they have no understanding of (and need to be trained). Looking back, we’ve been trying to fit square pegs into round holes and it has been counterproductive for both the charity by consuming their time whilst missing the chance to use project participants’ natural skills.

Clients like Microsoft and SAP have been specifically targeting STEM education and using their employees to both educate, train and equip the disadvantaged. Likewise, Salesforce is giving its software directly to NGOs so they benefit mutually. Where skills and needs are hard to match, organisations are seen setting up longer term partnerships to include an event-based CSR project to maintain long-term relationships with the recipient and ensure regular support. The saying ‘a happier workforce is a more productive workforce’ is as true as ever and has proven gains in enhancing employee creativity. According to a study carried out by Dale Carnegie and MSW Research, firms with staff that feel more engaged perform better than companies with unengaged employees by up to 202 percent. Furthermore, CSR policies tend to create a more positive work environment.

ROGER SIMONS Group Sustainability Manager MCI Headquarters Asia Pacific Region

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Secret escapes for successful events

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. Visit us at www.centarahotelsresorts.com/mice FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT US ON

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SUSTAINABLE BRANDS

EVENTS ARE MESSENGERS OF BRANDS PRINCIPLES & VALUES- HOW ARE THE LEADING BRANDS OF THE WORLD USING EVENTS TO BRING OUT THEIR SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENTS?

Events are a powerful tool in the marketing mix alongside the traditional models of advertising, public relations and the increasingly burgeoning field of digital and social media. In the past five years, the industry has witnessed an explosion in the number of companies using every communication platform to proclaim their contribution to society as “friendly neighbourhood banks” right through to the greenest, leanest and most caring companies in the world. Being green and being good for the planet is now a leading focus for companies that want to draw the eye and the dollar of an increasingly conscientious consumer. This trend is increasingly entering the world lexicon of the event planner. If events can move the heart, mind and soul of an audience that gathers for the same learning objectives, how can planners maximise awareness by using

events as a platform to bring company brand values and commitment to sustainability to life? Firstly, have a crystal clear understanding on why your company believes in sustainability. This also includes the explanation on the company’s sustainability practices and project investments. For example, life insurance giant, AIA Singapore focuses strongly on the health components of sustainability. In 2013, the company introduced the science-backed “AIA Vitality”. This wellness programme provides participants the knowledge, tools and motivation to help them achieve their personal health goals. The programme addresses the health challenge and educates its members on the impact of poor dietary behaviours on obesity. It rewards programme participants by reducing policy premium levels as they achieve set health goals.

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ACCORDING TO PRANAV SETHAPUTRA, SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT OF MCI GROUP AND GUEST SPEAKER AT THE SUSTAINABLE BRANDS CONFERENCE IN KUALA LUMPUR ON OCTOBER 2015, HERE ARE FIVE KEYS THINGS DELEGATES CAN TAKE AWAY FROM THE CONFERENCE: 1. The business case for building a Sustainable Brand through live experiences/ events is undeniable 2. It is not enough to just “go green” – sustainability is also about creating social and economic value through your events too 3. Even if you think your consumers, members and stakeholders do not care about your sustainability performance and commitments now, that they will eventually 4. Incorporating sustainability in your event is crucial to engaging the Millennials & Gen Z – both your future leaders and consumers 5. The journey to sustainability is not one you can travel alone – it’s about collaboration across sectors and your value chain

AIA Singapore engages its members and their loved ones through events like the non-competitive 5km, The Music Run by AIA, which attracted over 9,000 participants in April 2015. The run was powered by official digital music partner Spotify. Secondly, partnering with like-minded people to reach a greater audience. Diverse brands are coming together at events to share their sustainability stories both subtly at forums like the now well established TEDx events worldwide or more obviously at events like the leading sustainability series Sustainable Brands Conference, which visited Bangkok in March, Kuala Lumpur in October 2015 and will debut in Sydney, Australia in 2016. With the viewership of some TED talks up to 22 million views, sending a speaker to a well-produced event now has a consumer reach that many never felt possible. More and more companies are bringing together their customers, partners and stakeholders through events to educate and demonstrate their commitments to sustainability practices.

ACCORDING TO THE GREEN MEETING INDUSTRY COUNCIL, HERE ARE THE TOP 10 TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR EVENT MORE SUSTAINABLE: Put it in writing. Establish an environmental statement or policy for the meeting, and get buy in for it from the meeting host organisation’s management. Share the policy with suppliers, delegates and speakers. Use paperless technology. Use new media and electronic technology to cut down your paper use. Create a conference web site; offer electronic registration and confirmation; and advertise using the web and/or email. Meet close. Reduce distances travelled by speakers and delegates. Choose a host city that’s close to as many delegates as possible, and within the city choose a venue and hotel that are close to the airport and within walking distance of each other. Practice the 3Rs. Ask your hotel and meeting venue to provide visible and accessible reduction, reuse and recycling services for paper, metal, plastic and glass. Bulk up. Have your food and beverage service provider use bulk dispensers for sugar, salt, pepper, cream and other condiments. Lighten your stay. Choose a hotel that offers a linen reuse programme and bulk dispensers for shampoos and soaps in guest suites. Eat green. Include vegetarian meals, and have meals planned using local, seasonal produce. Close the recycling loop. Have all printed materials published on recycled paper, using vegetable-based inks, and on both sides of the page. Save energy. Coordinate with the meeting venue to ensure that energy lights and air conditioning will be turned off when rooms are not in use. Spread the word! Tell delegates, speakers and the media about your success. You’ll be surprised sustainable efforts are contagious.

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LUXURY & SUSTAINABILITY DISCOVER WHAT TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS ARE DRIVING THE DELEGATE EXPERIENCE. Is sustainability all about doing more with less? Can a five-star venue truly be sustainable? Traditional luxury hotels and venues have been defined by their lavish interior designs, opulent chandeliers and linen thread counts. It could be the awkward compromise of getting pampered endlessly that causes certain disassociation between luxury and sustainability.

Biz Events Asia has witnessed luxury hotels and venues doing more and more to contribute to sustainability in a number of ways, such as using quality local construction materials and the highest grade of organic foods, to name a few. The impact is multiplied especially when education and social benefits are weaved into a meeting or incentive programme.

BUILDING IT GREEN As the importance of sustainability rises through business strategy priorities, there are ample examples of hotels and venues that think about sustainability before the first spade hits the foundation soil. For example, the soon-to-be-opened International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) is the first Australian convention and exhibition facility registered with the US Green Building Council for the internationally recognised LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building certification. During construction, they

Alila Manggis

have a target of 90 percent material diversion of waste to landfill and the centre has announced back in March 2015 that they have already exceeded that target in the demolition phase.

Construction Authority (BCA), Marina Bay Sands uses an Intelligent Building Management System with over 90,000 control points, allowing automated controls over lighting, heating and water supplies for the entire building.

As the first MICE facility in South East Asia to obtain the ISO 20121 Sustainable Events Management System certification and the single largest building in Singapore to be conferred the Green Mark Gold Award by the Building and

The luxurious Alila Villas is the only brand that is designed, built and operated to EarthCheck standards, integrating the natural, physical and cultural elements of its environment.

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Canopy Walk, Bunga Raya

“A sound environment is essential to social wellbeing and business sustainability. Our vision is to integrate natural conservation, community and commerce hence our green efforts extend to and beyond the operational aspects so that we can make a positive impact on the community – economically, socially and culturally” said Mark Edleson, President – Asia of Commune Hotels and Resorts. Alila Jabal Akhdar was awarded LEED Silver Certification for its focused objective to maximise the use of local

Coral conservation project

materials in its construction phase to minimise the ongoing energy usage footprint in the long term. Innovative water treatment facilities for use in irrigation and landscaping, solar panelling that heats 60 to 70 percent of the hot water supply and energysaving lighting and thermal control systems have also been incorporated.

WATER BEYOND THE SOURCE OF LIFE Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali has invested in a water purification system designed by Eco Pure Waters. Fresh drinking water is filtered and bottled into reusable glass bottles that are sorted and washed by a biodegradable chemical before use. Central to the resorts purification system is a large reverse osmosis (RO) plant. RO is also known as hyper filtration, providing the finest filtration with the ability to remove particles as small as ions. During the filtration process, bacteria, particles, dyes and other impurities are removed. Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi also installed a RO plant as a sustainable solution to its transportation carbon foot print due to its remote, boat-access only location. The resort is the first ever resort in Thailand that received the status of EarthCheck Gold in July 2015 after five

conservative years of independent assessment and adherence to internationally-recognised, scientific standards. The company implemented a strict energy, water and waste management programme. For example, by recycling their waste water for the garden, they also reduced their water consumption by 81,111,291 litres, the equivalent to 32 Olympic size swimming pools during 2014.

DUTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL CARE ACTIVITIES Located on a coral reef in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia resides Bunga Raya Island Resort, a member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts and its Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC). MERC is situated within the marine protection Tunku Abdul Rahman Park and has made significant contribution in the marine conservation arena. As a learning and educational centre, it has grown over the years into a research and rehabilitation facility. MERC was catapulted to fame when it was certified by the Malaysia Book of Records as the first centre in Malaysia to successfully produce all seven species of giant clams found in Malaysian waters. A walk into MERC allows delegates to leave with a deeper understanding and

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“A sound environment is essential to social wellbeing and business sustainability. Our vision is to integrate natural conservation, community and commerce hence our green efforts extend to and beyond the operational aspects so that we can make a positive impact on the community – economically, socially and culturally.” – MARK EDLESON President Asia, Commune Hotels and Resorts

appreciation for the complexities of the marine eco system. Alila Manggis has teamed with Zen Dive Bali to clean up and protect artificial reefs in the Candidasa area of East Bali. As part of its commitment to protect, restore and preserve indigenous coral reefs, the resort organises monthly dives to remove harmful substances and identify changes in the reefs. The resort’s Coral Conservation Project allows guests to plant their own corals and visit a local village to understand the project’s impact on the local community. &Beyond (sic) is one of the world’s leading luxury experiential travel companies, designing personalised luxury safaris in 15 African countries, as well as arranging bespoke tours in India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Chile and Argentina. The company’s core ethics are Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife, Care of the People. &Beyond operates according to a dynamic sustainability strategy spearheaded by its sustainability team. The company has a positive impact on more than nine million acres of wildlife land and sustains the conversion of more than 500,000 acres from livestock farming and hunting to photographic wildlife safaris. The Care of the Wildlife is defined in its conservation strategy, which includes

the preservation of endangered species through conservation, translocations and breeding programmes. Through its partnership with the Africa Foundation, &Beyond supports community empowerment in the areas of education, healthcare enterprise development and environment and conservation. According to Joss Kent, CEO of &Beyond “&Beyond’s pioneering

model of low-impact, high-yield wildlife tourism is founded on the premise that conservation can be sustained through sound business principles, and sustainability is an essential tool in achieving this goal. It’s also important to realise that sustainable travel does not mean scaling back on comfort or enjoyment. Instead, it’s about choosing to travel with a company that gives back in a positive way.”

&Beyond community experience

&Beyond safari tour

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GASTRONOMIC TREATS SUSTAINABLE FOOD IS A TREND WORLDWIDE, DISCOVER WHAT IS FILLING EVENT ATTENDEES’ TUMMIES AROUND THE WORLD FROM FARM-TO-FORK CONCEPTS TO SUPERFOODS.

Rice fields

THE IMPACT OF FARMTO-PLATE Hotels and venues have launched farm-to-fork menus that use local produce. It aims at strengthening ties with the local community by supporting local farmers and producers, while guests get to enjoy the freshest seasonal produce and discover some of the local culture and history associated with a particular produce. Delegates can get to experience tea leaf harvesting before being treated to a cup of Ceylon tea in Sri Lanka. Or they can participate in a team rice planting exercise before serving rice for dinner in Thailand. Understanding the origins of food allows delegates to appreciate and respect the organiser’s sustainability efforts.

Laguna Lang Co in Vietnam has launched its own extensive organic farm situated close to the golf course. The fully sustainable organic farm will be receiving a consistent source of organic matter from the hotel’s operations, while providing a much fresher source of produce for the kitchen. The model will be used to demonstrate effective farming practices to local communities so they can develop their own farming businesses and produce their own organic vegetables, which could then be sold back to the hotel. The resort also launched Seedlings, a restaurant that provides training and job opportunities for disadvantaged local youths, giving them the necessary life skills to forge successful careers in hospitality.

EATING WELL IN MEETINGS Radisson Blu hotels launched Brain Food, a key culinary element to the brand’s signature Experience Meetings concept that promotes productive and effective meetings. With natural sweetening of no more than 10 percent sugar, Brain Food has six main principles: Plenty of fish, whole-grain products, fruits and vegetables Primarily fresh, locally sourced foods

Pure ingredients, with minimal processing Less meat with never more than 10 percent fat content Focus on delicious taste and healthy options Natural sweetening with no more than 10 percent sugar According to Nishan Silva, general manager of Radisson Blu Cebu, the hotel served a myriad of Brain Food items at the recent Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation meeting and many have taken a keen interest on this concept. The Brain Food concept also works on six responsible business principles, which are as follows: Locality – Support local producers, cut air miles Seasonality – Respect “Mother Nature” as well as reducing your carbon footprint Sustainability – Protect our precious resources Responsible packaging – Consider the life cycle of packaging Fair-trade – Integration of fair-trade and eco-labelling organisations Responsible Energy Consumption – Support ”Think Planet”

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Feeding Communities, Angsana Laguna Phuket Adelaide Convention Centre

Eat well three superfoods that can easily be found in Asia: Seaweed: Loaded with Omega 3, calcium and has anti-viral, antiinflammatory qualities.

FEED THY NEIGHBOUR Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts celebrated World Food Day on October 16, 2015 with a “Stay for Good - Feeding Communities Together” global programme. For every night a guest stays at the hotels from October 12 to 18, 2015, each hotel will aim to feed at least one needy person within the local community. Last year, over 8,300 meals, drinks and food products were prepared and delivered by more than 20 Banyan Tree hotels and resorts in 11 countries. “At the heart of Banyan Tree is our belief that tourism should stimulate positive, sustainable development in our host destinations. Our vision of doing good and doing well is key to our business,” said Abid Butt, CEO of Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts. “Our Stay for Good programmes offer a choice of activities for guests to take part in if they so choose, each providing a tangible opportunity to support local communities and the environment.” To up the sustainability ante, companies can work with non-profit organisations like Food Bank, Oz Harvest and Willing Hearts who will collect untouched,

Green Tea: High in antioxidants. Known to improve brain functions and fat loss.

unused and unwanted food to feed those in the less fortunate communities. These organisations will assist in providing detailed information on what foods and produce they will accept. Australia based food rescue organisation, Oz Harvest, have served

Goji Berries: Rich in Vitamin C and other qualities that boost immune systems.

30 million meals to date. The organisation was founded by business events professional Ronni Kahn who has extensive experience in working with venue chefs on how to manage the collection of food with the strictest hygiene protocol.

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MEASURING SUCCESS PROGRESSIVE DESTINATIONS REGULARLY FORECAST THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS TO DESTINATIONS. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD SHOULD SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL METRICS BECOME A COMMON MEASUREMENT PRACTICE? As the old adage goes “What you can’t measure, you can’t manage”. Based on the size of the region, the Asian business event industry and probably, some convention bureaux struggle to measure and justify return on investments and objectives. Leading organisations like the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and the Convention Industry Council (CIC) have led the industry effort to measure impact. The CIC’s 2014 study in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) uncovered that meetings contribute more to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the USA than the air transportation, motion picture, sound recording, performing arts and the spectator sport industries. In 2012, 1.83 million meetings were held in the USA and attended by 225 million participants. In 2006, ICCA collaborated with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Reed Travel Exhibitions to publish the first global standards for carrying out national economic impact studies, “Measuring the economic importance of the meetings industry – Developing a tourism satellite account extension”. It was linked to the UNWTO’s universally recognised Tourism Satellite Accounting methodology. This methodology has since been used by countries as diverse as Mexico, Denmark and Australia. The Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) partnered with Deloitte to uncover that expenditure by international business events delegates generated an estimated AUD2.2 billion (USD1.6 billion) in GDP and 22,500 jobs in 2012.

Likewise, the organisers of major sports events are increasingly looking to Asia to host their flagship tournaments and Games. Tokyo’s successful bid to host the 2020 Olympics could have an economic impact of 3 trillion yen (USD29.7 billion) over several years, creating 150,000 jobs. What’s next? Looking at the economic impact of business events, what would be the impact on the environment? How will the surrounding communities benefit from the event, and will taxpayers’ money be spent responsibly? This has led to the era of sustainability reporting for the events industry. Now, such reporting is also an absolute prerequisite for major sporting events. Organisations as diverse as Union of European Football Association (UEFA), the Olympics and the America’s Cup are issuing reports detailing the impact of their events on the environment and society. Large-scale conventions are following suit. From corporate gatherings like Oracle’s Openworld in San Francisco to the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity in Hyderabad, events are producing impact assessments that outline the legacy these events have on the environment and society. If corporations are reporting their financial figures and sustainability efforts in “integrated reports”, it is a natural evolution for the business events industry to take this next step. Karen Bolinger, CEO of Melbourne Convention Bureau, said in the keynote address at a recent BestCities Ambassador’s Dinner at the Einstein

“Real success is seen as something more enduring, something that will make a long-term difference.” KAREN BOLINGER CEO Melbourne Convention Bureau.

Institute: “We are seeing a growing trend for leading associations to measure the success of meetings and conferences not only by delegate numbers, new sponsors, great keynotes or smooth operations,” she continued, “real success is seen as something more enduring, something that will make a long-term difference.” If the industry is feeling the pressure on being sustainable, now is the time to start measuring the intellectual, economic, environmental and social impact of business events holistically.

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Meet in Ningbo

lanners can now look to the city of Ningbo for new meeting and incentive travel destinations. Ningbo is among the busiest ports in the world for foreign trade, and a municipality that possesses a separate state-planning status from the rest of the country. Together with feeder markets from Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wenzhou, and other cities in proximity, as well as the completion of both Hangzhou Bay and Xiangshan Harbor bridges linking the municipalities of Ningbo and Shanghai, the city has seen a constant increase in foreign investment, economic integration, and improved road connectivity. Keeping up with the times, Ningbo has stepped up

No sub-standards for Ningbo, the sub-provincial city. This gem in the east of China shows why it is a rising business events destination.

as a business events destination in many ways, with the Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Tourism constantly putting in efforts to introduce the destination to the world. SUPPORT To better support conference and incentive travel business across the country, Ningbo Incentive Travel Promotion Center (Beijing) was set up in 2012 to promote its premium resources and facilities with competitive prices. This was the first of its kind that Ningbo has ever set up outside the city, along with plans to launch more of these promotion centres to other parts of China.

International Conference and Exhibition Center in September launched activities and packages to benefit the players in the business events and incentive travel field. According to Chen Gang, deputy director of Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Tourism, Ningbo International Tourism Exhibition has been listed as a key tourism event to be supported by the government, aiming to build it into a one-stop tourism exchange platform for the convenience and benefit of the people. INITIATIVES IN 2015 t /JOHCP .VOJDJQBM #VSFBV PG Tourism has set up an alliance for the city and joined the China MICE Cities Alliance, the 16th city to join after Qingdao last year.

Following this, the Ningbo International Tourism Exhibition 2015 held at Ningbo

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ADVERTORIAL

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NINGBO

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BESTCITIES KEEPS ON DOING IT FOR EVENT ORGANISERS BESTCITIES GLOBAL ALLIANCE’S UNIFIED MODEL OF COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IS KEY TO SUSTAINABLE ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT.

One of the classics of the international convention industry, the BestCities Global Alliance created a new platform concept when they got together 15 years ago, led by Melbourne, Edinburgh and Vancouver in 2000 to bring standardisation in professionalism to the convention bureau world. Today, with the tagline “When the world wants to meet we set the standard”, they are still doing it for event organisers around the world, in particular those in associations and with their new strategic partnership with (Professional Convention Management Association) PCMA. Providing classic professional standard services – they do exactly what they say they will and live up to the expectations of the brand. Being the first formal group of Destination Marketing Organisations (DMO) to establish formal Client Service Standards, the alliance went on to have their standards formally certified in 2008 by the renowned independent assessor of business services Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA). In an industry not particularly known for creating accountable standards of service, this was truly a pioneering step. This accreditation, together with the strict code of regular auditing, has provided the group with a real competitive edge as well as a solid foundation for going forward to develop new, imaginative specialist services that are appropriate for the professional event planners needs today and in the future. So what exactly does this standard mean for meeting and event planners? Why are the 12 city members (Berlin, Bogota, Cape Town, Chicago, Copenhagen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Houston, Melbourne, Singapore, Tokyo and Vancouver) so different? The key to it lies in the actual services that can be expected and integrity with which they are consistently delivered. The members learn from each other and share best practice tips to continuously evolve and refine the services to keep them relevant to planners needs in an evolving environment. These services are detailed on the BestCities website. Essentially, this

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means a huge time saving for meeting planners who are required by their organisations’ boards to plan meetings all over the world and in areas that are less developed than their home base or with cultures that may be extremely different. These member bureaux are all experienced in understanding the varying needs and sensitivities of the client organisations; their staff consistently know how to ask the right questions to elicit the help and support from their City Fathers, from their private sector and from the local counterpart organisations to respond to the – sometimes quite complex – Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and help the planners put things together in such a way that informed decisions can be made. This point is particularly appreciated by busy planners such as Lesley Zeck, CMP, CMM, director of meetings for the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) based in USA, “I keep aware of destinations around the world and this group is a great one-stop-shop, providing very transparent services and in a non-invasive way that helps us all to learn about other destinations we wouldn’t have initially thought about”. Planners get opportunities to share their experiences in client forums like the one recently in Berlin at the alliances’ annual flagship event “BestCities Client Workshop”. One delegate, Aaron Janofsky, associate director of committee on Space Research (COSPAR), summed up for the group describing the workshop as covering a wide field of topics. “In addition to the information presented, one outcome of the discussions was the very interesting highlighting of differences in association models of the groups represented at the workshop, making for an instructive day and a return to the office with a number of good ideas.” This concept of looking at the various models of how associations are managed is something that is sorely needed in Asia with so many organisations operating on very tight budgets and with very few resources to learn from. The Asian members, Singapore in particular with its SACEOS

training, are developing Asian oriented opportunities taking these “good ideas” a step further, together with their local professional trade, to help guide local association staff in convention management as well as helping those organisations to adopt tips that can result in more efficient association management. Karen Bolinger, BestCities board chairperson and CEO of the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB), drew out this theme in her keynote address focusing on the positive impact to a destination in terms of the legacy of the event that can be made by working closely with the DMO. As an example, a recent “win” for Melbourne with the International Dragon Award (IDA) annual meeting where over 4,500 Mandarin speaking insurance specialists, including China Life and other key agencies, are expected to meet in Melbourne from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Malaysia in August 2017 to bring an estimated AUD20.2 million (USD14.7 million) to the Victorian economy. The local organising trade certainly understands this point well and as Kate Smith, managing director of WALSRONSMITH Management, PCO and MCB member, stated: “International association conference dollars flow into so many areas it may surprise people outside our industry how many elements need to come together to create and deliver a successful conference. We rely on suppliers from venues, IT specialists, production companies, caterers, exhibition companies, graphic designers, printers, accountants, photographers, insurance companies, security, transportation, cleaning services and freight specialists to bring everything together in one seamless event.” It is not just economically beneficial to a region but bringing world leaders together to share best practices and exchange knowledge, celebrate breakthroughs and, by providing trade and investment opportunities, creates business legacies. Expanding on the results of this survey, Bolinger made a point regarding the reliability of the business events sector

JENNIFER SALSBURY CEO IMC Convention Solutions

in the tourism industry. A sector planned so far ahead happens despite outside factors and provides a “long-term pipeline of confirmed future business allowing state government, tourism and knowledge industry sectors to plan well in advance to maximize the economic benefits”. Within the BestCities alliance, the sustainability of this sector is well understood and valued. It is promoted extremely well within the respective industries of the member cities as well as globally to the clients through its six goals: Established Worldwide Branding, Innovative Business Development, World-Class CVB Service Standards, Strong Destination Commitment & Delivery, Global Expansion, and Enhanced Organisational Capacity. The structure of this alliance gives members the freedom to exchange and sustain its innovative edge in the industry.

Jennifer Salsbury is the CEO at IMC Convention Solutions, an international consultancy for those wishing to understand more about the China and Asian markets. She has over thirty years of experience in destination and convention centre marketing, specialising in international associations with strong personal connections in meetings industry organisations. Contact Jennifer at jennifer@imc-conventionsolutions.com

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#LegalMind

IDEAS, INNOVATION AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES THROUGH KNOWING HOW TO PROTECT YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. As an intellectual property lawyer, I have the privilege of meeting with creative and innovative people bursting with enthusiasm. Moments into our encounter, they would inevitably utter the words “I have this idea and I wish to protect it”. They are then given a cold dose of reality by my wet blanket response: “Ideas cannot be protected”, followed by a loud “BUT” and “tell me more, and I will see how I can help”. If they say the idea or concept is all that they have, then there is nothing more to be said. However, if they are able to define the idea such that it moves out of the idea phase and into the innovation phase, they may possibly have a protectable asset or in other words, one or more of the following intellectual property rights:

PATENTS If an idea leads to an invention that is new, has an inventive step and may be industrially applicable, then it may be possible to obtain a patent grant for it, so long as there is no disclosure of the invention prior to the patent application. As part of the patent application process, it is necessary to detail and eventually publish how the invention works. If granted, the inventor or applicant has a 20-year period to exploit the patent, after which it will fall into the public domain. An example is the

humble Post-It note which was patented until the 1990s for a low-tack pressure sensitive adhesive.

marks, with an initial 10-year protection that is renewable every 10 years.

Formulas, recipes, and client databases may all be considered trade secrets. These cannot be registered, and must be protected by contracts within and outside of every organisation. Other means of protection include restricting access to a need-to-know basis, and limiting disclosure to a few individuals.

Any original literary, artistic, dramatic or musical work that is reduced into material form may be protected by copyright, lasting (in most countries) 70 years after the life of the author. This would include sketches, notes, jingles, business plans and presentation slides. In Singapore, the copyright of works created by employees while in the course of employment automatically belongs to the company. However, it is important to address this clearly in employment agreements or, in the case of freelance personnel, in their engagement agreements.

TRADE SECRETS

Even though intellectual property rights are intangible, they can be realised into commercial success. Hopefully, knowing what can be protected will help creators and inventors out there discern which ideas will survive the journey to becoming an asset.

DESIGNS Should an idea evolve into a product with a new and unique shape, then registered design protection may be suitable. In Singapore, the maximum term of protection is 15 years, during which substantially similar designs by other parties may be considered infringing. Famous designs include the Eames lounge chair and the Apple iPhone.

TRADE MARKS A clever or eye-catching trade mark makes for good marketing. Words, logos and colours may be registered as trade

VICKI HENG Director Vicki Heng Law Corporation vicki@vickiheng.com

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Lobby at Shangri-La Mongolia

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ULAANBAATAR PREPARES FOR ASIA-EUROPE MEETING SUMMIT THE CAPITAL CITY OF MONGOLIA UPS THE ANTE TO GET A LARGER SHARE OF THE BUSINESS EVENTS SECTOR Mongolia has won rights to host the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM) in Ulaanbaatar in July 2016. Officially established in 1996 in Bangkok, Thailand, ASEM focuses on the political, economic, social, cultural, and educational relations of the two continents. ASEM now consists of 21 countries from Asia and 30 countries from Europe, including the European Union and the ASEAN Secretariat. A main feature of this summit is the concurrence of its 20th anniversary. Mongolia is set to lead the work stream consisting of 15 member countries to develop to a strategic plan for celebrating the anniversary. Over 10 accompanying events are to be organised. The President of Mongolia issued a decree in December, 2014, on the establishment of National Counsel, led by the Prime Minister of Mongolia with six task forces to organise the summit. Thereafter, the summit’s official webpage (www.asem11.mn) was launched, and its logo approved in May 2015. Delegates attending the summit are then able to register and book partner hotels online. In the last month, an examination team in the general department for Interpretation, European Union (EU), arrived in Ulaanbaatar and conducted tests for simultaneous interpreters. Six chosen qualified interpreters will then be trained in Brussels,

Belgium for a period of five months under EU funding. To showcase Mongolian history and culture, a number of summit meetings would be held in Gers (a traditional nomadic tent). The National Construction Consortium will also build 50 luxury houses named “ASEM Villa” near Bogd Mountains to accommodate the Presidents and Prime Ministers. In terms of security, the preparation office is having thoughts about purchasing five armoured vehicles. Officers in charge of event preparations make frequent visits to Chinggis Khaan International Airport for updates on its extension work, related road works and meet private sector businessmen on arranging transportation within the city. To prepare Ulaanbaatar, the city intends to significantly expand its meeting facilities to accommodate a wider range of international business events. China contributes by providing technical assistance for meeting rooms, halls, hotel upgrades, security enhancement, and dignitary greeting activities, while the National Counsel is preparing to educate and upgrade professional skills of service staff through onthe-job trainings and television programmes on service standards. Hotel staff would also get to improve their English, service standards for high-level officials, as well as diplomat ethics. Training is expected to continue from October

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#DelveInto

Central Square Of Ulaanbaatar

A total of 42 hotels that have been selected to accommodate over 3,500 – 4,000 high-level state delegates including press, security and staff of ASEM summit were given credentials by the event preparation office. Ulaanbaatar’s government has also decided to support the upgrading of these hotels by providing a soft loan amounting MNT150 billion (USD75.3 million) through the Development Bank of Mongolia. At the credentials presentation ceremony, terms of the competition among hotels were announced. The competition’s objective is to improve service quality, enhance corporate social responsibility, streamline their management and encourage new work initiatives, starting from October 20, 2015. Results of the contest will be announced on July 25, 2016 and the “Best ASEM Partner Hotel” will be selected and awarded accordingly. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognises that Mongolia’s reputation may rise through this event, and the number of business travellers heading to Mongolia would increase, thus affecting economic development positively.

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he city officials aim to make Ulaanbaatar a choice destination for business and leisure travellers by enhancing the level politeness and kindness for every service rendered

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2015 to May 2016 with the support of national and international experts.

THE EVENTS INDUSTRY POTENTIAL

Capital city Ulaanbaatar,Mongolia

The citizen’s representative meeting of the capital city approved “Polite Ulaanbaatar” programme in September 2014. Under this programme, the city officials aim to make Ulaanbaatar a choice destination for business and leisure travellers by enhancing the level politeness and kindness for every service rendered. In connection, the Tourism Authority of Ulaanbaatar has introduced a slogan “Historic, Harmonic, and Hospitable UB”, while the country markets itself to the world as “Nomadic by Nature”, after participating as a partner country of ITB Berlin 2015. A MNT35 billion or 5 percent of the capital city’s budget is to be allocated each year for the programme. Correspondingly, Mongolia’s hotel industry is booming. International hotel chains such as Ramada and Best Western opened their

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doors in Ulaanbaatar during the last few years. Shangri-La has opened its doors a few months ago, while Hilton is still currently under construction. Additionally, Hotel Inn is exploring opportunities to enter the market by collaborating with Max Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Mongolia. As of today, people from 27 nationalities are able to visit Mongolia without a visa. The government is considering to increase this number to 60. Plans are also in place to expand air transportation capacity with the construction of Ulaanbaatar International Airport, which has been designed with the capacity of up to three million passengers a year, and has the capability and space for expansions to accommodate up to 12 million passengers yearly. Similarly, the Chinggis Land Development Group is to construct the country’s first ever vertical line highway that connects Russia and China, in a bid to increase business events and travellers from these two countries. Recent key conferences include the 2015 Autumn Meeting of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly held on 15-18 September in Ulaanbaatar, and the 14th Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Ministerial Conference, which took place on September 23-25, 2015.

THE GREEN DEVELOPMENT Mongolia has been paying much attention to sustainable development.

Palace Of Mongolian Government, Ulaanbaatar

The Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Green Development is leading green economy initiatives by implementing various energy conservation, water incentives, environmental protection and green building projects with the support of international donors such as World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Development Programme and the Global Green Growth Institute. For instance, ADB is starting a project on “Assessing Energy Efficiency Potential in Mongolia”, which focuses on demand side, while World Bank is implementing another similar project titled “Energy Efficiency and Urban Environment Improvement Project” from its supply side.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Under the Mayors’ forum of Northeast Asian Cities, a conference named “City’s Green Development” was organised in Ulaanbaatar city in the last month. Mayors and deputy mayors from eight cities in Russia, China, Japan and South Korea took part in the conference and shared their best practices. During the conference, sustainable urban water and energy management issues have also been raised. Currently, the UB city Mayor’s office is developing its green development strategy in line with the National Green Development Policy and the city’s urban development plan. The Mongolian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has implemented a “Green Hotel” certification programme together with the Tourism Department of the Capital City and the Association of Mongolian Hotels since 2012. This eco label has 14 prerequisites that hotels need to fulfil in order for them to adopt environmental laws fully and run an environmentally friendly business. When a hotel qualifies for five of these 14 criteria, one eco label will be awarded. The Green Hotel Counsel together with the Chamber’s clean development and clean production support department also conducts monitoring and evaluation on the eco-label related activities and the plan implementation of the hotels annually.

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SUSTAINABILITY LEARNING TOPS WINNING THE 2015 ASIA SUPER TEAM COMPETITION DEMONSTRATES HOW EVERYONE IS A WINNER IN TAIWAN. While the heart of incentive travel remains as a perk to reward selected employees for a job well done, it has evolved to incorporate meaningful team bonding activities and philanthropic causes in its core.

THE IDEA Organised by TAITRA and MEET TAIWAN, the annual Asia Super Team competition launched in 2014 was put together in an effort to promote Taiwan as an ideal destination for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE). More than 100 businesses across the Asia Pacific region entered the contest in June, 2015. Six finalist teams were then selected by online public voting and a professional board of judges based on their proposals – an itinerary-like charity proposal that required the participating companies to incorporate their understanding of Taiwan’s MICE offerings with corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. China Airlines supported the initiative with 12 return tickets for public online voters. The finalist companies are: Above Creative Events, an event management company

from Malaysia; AFTR, a tech startup from Australia; Bun Corporation, secondtime contestant and a large restaurant franchise in Japan; Glam Lounge, one of the largest dining, hospitality and entertainment group in Korea; Kaimay Trading, a leading foodstuff trader in the Asia Pacific region from Singapore; and Meeting Point Asia, a destination marketing agency from Thailand. Four participants from each of the six finalist companies flew to Taiwan for a CSR adventure across Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Chiayi. Tasks to win the grand prize include performing a Taiwanese opera performance challenge, ecofriendly soap making, salt harvesting, and more. The key was for all contestants to demonstrate team spirit and creativity while experiencing the various MICE offerings that Taiwan has in an interactive game setting.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN After a sumptuous welcome dinner at Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei, on the day of arrival, the Asia Super Team competition kicked off with a drive down to Tainan the next morning, where contestants toured the Jing Liao

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Team performing chinese opera

Farm Village and learnt about its history and roots, before letting their creative juices flow for a hat-painting session. Each group was given a set of acrylic paints, brushes, and free reign in the design for each of their conical hats that farmers put on to protect themselves from the scorching sun while working in the fields. The competition’s first challenge was making a scarecrow by utilising scraps of cloth, straw, and various accessories that they could find from nature in the farm. Points were given based on creativity, functionality, and presentation, and team Australia won. The completed scarecrows were then given to the farm to help serve their purposes.

to organically harvest its salts, she hopes that the area’s natural beauty and potential for future growth as a sightseeing and team building attraction would bring young people like herself back into the countryside to develop the location together. At the salt field, groups learnt and competed to shuck oysters. The team with the most whole, clean and uncut oysters won the challenge. This was followed by an educational tour of the fields, where groups also got a “mud spa” by helping salt farmers pick clay tiles from one of its mud ponds. Another challenge followed, where teams had to harvest salt by a specific weight. The first team which accurately gathered 10 kilograms of salt won.

Lunch consisting of simple and wholesome local fare was served buffetstyle on a cart pulled by a water buffalo. While sampling a selection of Tainan’s freshest produce, the multinational guests were also entertained by a Chinese orchestra group made up of highly skilled senior citizen musicians.

The day culminated with a meal of Zhounan Salt Field’s cuisine, prepared by the owners and farmers themselves. It was the perfect example of a farmto-table meal, as the rice, vegetables, oysters, and, ofcourse, salt used were all organically home-grown.

The next leg of the trip brought us to the beautiful Budai Zhounan Salt Field in Chiayi City. Our guide, who is also one of the salt farmers, is a millennial with great passion and hopes for the future of Taiwan’s salt industry. As one of the only few fields left in Taiwan

After a good night’s rest at Millennium Vee Hotel Taichung, the group arrived at Taichung Maple Community for a day of Integration Challenge. This community carries an initiative that helps elderly women or housewives who wish to join back into the workforce, but are unable to do so. It promotes the sustainable

practice of making ecologically friendly cleaning soap from recycled cooking oil and other detergents. Teams competed in an eco-soap making challenge, which was judged based on the correct soap-making procedures, quality and presentation. The finished products will eventually be donated to the community to help promote their cause. Contesting groups were treated to AOKI Kitaro restaurant’s variety of wholesome and delicious meals before heading to Taichung Cultural and Creative Industries Park. Spanning an area of 5.6 hectares, the park was once a winery that holds a century’s worth of history. Later on, contestants watched a Taiwanese opera performance before competing against each other in their own performances. Evaluation for each team’s performance was based on meeting the basic opera knacks, creativity, local elements, and popularity. Coming full circle, the Asia Super Team travelled back to Taipei for the last two nights of luxurious stay at the

Budai Zhounan Salt Field

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aiwan left contestants of the Asia Super Team competition a deep impression through its unique culture and heartfelt hospitality.

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Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel. Held at Taipei International Convention Center (TICC), the final challenges of the competition comprised of snatch quizzes and a team presentation to showcase their interpretation of an ideal Taiwan incentive trip that incorporates CSR features, creativity, and the promotion of Taiwanese culture together with their corporate culture.

AND THE WINNER IS AFTR triumphed over five other corporate groups from Asia Pacific and emerged as the winner of Asia Super

Asia Super Team - Australia

Team 2015 competition, walking away with a USD50,000 incentive travel package. As part of the contest reward, MEET TAIWAN donated USD5,000 to a charity fund of the winning team’s choice. Fun and games aside, memories were made, friendships were forge, and Taiwan left contestants of the Asia Super Team competition a deep

Barbecuing fresh oysters for dinner

impression through its unique culture and heartfelt hospitality. All participants – contestants and media attendees from around the world alike – went home feeling like a winner, armed with the knowledge of Taiwan’s myriad of sustainable MICE offerings available, among other things from the trip’s various activities.

Shucking oysters

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#DelveInto

PICTURE OF HEALTH UNDETERRED BY SARS IN 2003 AND INCIDENTS LEADING TO THIS YEAR’S EVENT, THE WORLD CONGRESS OF SURGERY PROCEEDED WITHOUT A HITCH. WORDS: EL KWANG

SARS caused the cancellation of the International Surgical Week 2003 (now known as World Congress of Surgery) three months before the event. What seemed like years of bidding and coordination efforts by the congress committee, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Professional Conference Organiser, as well as the Conference and Destination Management (CDM) since Thailand secured the bid in 1999, were in vain.

Leading to the 2015 congress, the committee was beset with unfortunate incidents. A bombing incident at the Ratchaprasong district on August 18, 2015, and the tragic death of ISS/ SIC secretary general, Professor Dr. Jean-Claude Givel from Lausanne, Switzerland, half an hour before the opening ceremony where he was meant to share the stage with Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol.

However, the congress was set to return to Thailand from August 23 to 27, 2015. Key points of decision was the loyalty of the society’s members in Thailand, and the well representation by Professor Nopadol Wora-Urai in the International Society of Surgery/ Société Internationale de Chirurgie (ISS/SIC) executive committee, who later on became the president of ISS/SIC from 2013 to 2015.

According to Victor Bertschi, executive director of ISS/SIC, despite the overwhelming incidents, the congress went very well. It attracted the expected 2,500 delegates from 100 different countries. Nearly half were overseas visitors and Bertschi estimated its economic impact to be around USD25 million. Sumate Sudasna and his team at CDM were praised for their efforts in

AGAINST ALL ODDS

managing late and onsite registration due to the uncertainty caused by the bombing incident. The committee has already experienced CDM’s high level of service since leading up to the 2003 congress. Bertschi explained that during the congress, there was an exchange of surgical knowledge and an establishment of personal contacts among surgeon colleagues from around the world. It also included support to highly ranked surgeons from low income countries and offered an ideal platform for young and upcoming surgeons from all around the world to be in contact with the highly ranked ones.

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“

he congress ran very well. We were overwhelmed by a large audience of more than 2,500 participants from 100 different countries, of which nearly half have come to Thailand from far way.” Victor Bertschi, executive director, the International Society of Surgery/Société Internationale de Chirurgie.

Bidding: TCEB provided bid support for the congress. Consultation on bid planning and produced bidding materials.

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The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau supported the congress in three key areas:

The International Society of Surgery/ Société Internationale de Chirurgie.

The congress also observed ethical codes set by sponsors from USA and Europe. For example, other than the opening ceremony, delegates paid for other components such as the social event held at Sampran Riverside and the pre- and post-congress tours.

RETURNING TO ASIA TCEB offered marketing and PR support to the congress through its Visitor Promotion Campaign. This was a campaign developed by TCEB to boost delegate numbers from ASEAN+6 countries. For ISSW 2015, the congress’ local organising committee used the campaign to promote ISSW2015 at the Annual Conference of The Association of Surgeons of India (ASICON 2014) in Hyderabad and the 60th Annual Conference of the International College of SurgeonsIndian Section in Bangalore, India.

The World Congress of Surgery takes place once in every two years in three different parts of the world: Europe and Africa Central and South America Asia Pacific The next opportunity for the congress to be hosted in Asia Pacific is 2021, and the host country has not been decided. “Final decision will depend not only on the attraction of the host country but very much on local support by the National Surgical Society,” said Bertschi.

applications for the overseas delegates and speakers goods for exhibition and conference destination materials to promote Thailand in overseas marketing of the congress for VIPs and speakers of the congress

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IT&CMA AND CTW ASIA-PACIFIC ON THE ROLL

UPDATES AND WHAT’S NEW FROM THE RECENT IT&CMA AND CTW ASIAPACIFIC 2015 IN BANGKOK WORDS: GINA SIN The 23rd edition of IT&CMA held at the Bangkok Convention Centre in CentralWorld Bangkok, Thailand from September 29 to October 1, 2015, drew the largest lineup of more than 20 MICE, events intelligence, corporate travel and association management knowledge sessions led by over 30 speakers. The trade show also saw its first ASEAN MICE Forum, endorsed by the ASEAN Marketing and Communications Working Group, which enables IT&CMA to facilitate closer collaboration between ASEAN’s MICE industry leaders.

THE LOW-DOWN At the IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific opening press conference, a 14 percent growth in exhibitors’ participation was highlighted. This consists of the global presence of new European, Middle Eastern and Asian convention visitor bureaux from Berlin, Geneva, Lucerne, Zurich, Dubai and Jeju, as well as returning destinations such as Switzerland, Philippines, Macau and India. More than 10,000 business appointments took place over the two-day event, while companies like the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Frasers Hospitality, Oakwood Worldwide and Carlson Wagonlit Travel returned as sponsors after reaping results from past sponsored activities with the trade show. First time sponsors included Dubai Business Events,

Tourism Promotions Board Philippines and HRS – Global Hotel Solutions, all keen on leveraging IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific’s opportunity to reach to the business events and corporate travel audience. This resulted in an estimated 40 percent more sponsored engagement. Prior to the trade show, delegates forged new bonds through a friendly round of golf at Krung Kavee Golf Course and Country Club. The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau, Malaysian Convention & Exhibition Bureau, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Oakwood Worldwide, Indonesia Convention Exhibition, Special Holiday Travel Pvt Ltd, Airports of Thailand PLC, and Thai Airways International Public Company Limited all took advantage of the scheduled media briefings to announce their latest developments and campaigns. Six other destinations, CVBs and Corporates including Seoul Metropolitan Government, Dubai Business Events, Frasers Hospitality, Tourism Promotions Board Philippines, Oakwood and HRS have secured hosted luncheon, dinner and coffee break sessions that delivered a curated attendance of buyers and media that fit their respective target profiles. The Singapore Tourism Board also colocated its hosted luncheon on October 1, in conjunction with IT&CMA and CTW

Asia-Pacific 2015 to a select group of local buyers. The Taiwan pavilion held a successful and unique happy hour to welcome buyers and visitors to experience Taiwan Michelin-starred xiao long bao (steamed pork buns with broth in them). Named as one of the best Taiwanese snacks not to be missed by CNN and the most popular brand of xiao long bao in the world, it attracted scores of buyers

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on waiting line at Taiwan booth for the happy hour to open. Headlining the sponsored networking functions was the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)’s opening ceremony and welcome dinner, titled “Heaven Unveiled. A Night in Paradise”. Delegates were treated to a spectacular evening of Siamese splendour, which included Thai traditional music and dance performances and local Thai cuisine. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, president of TCEB said: “As the host of the opening ceremony, TCEB had the opportunity to present our 2016 global branding campaign named ‘Thailand CONNECT… Our Heart, Your World’, and showcase Thailand as Asia’s top business event destination. The opening ceremony represented the start of the trade show, as well as the beginning of many new relationships and partnerships for the delegates. In turn, the exposure we had received was tremendously beneficial.” Presenting one education session and moderating on two key trends in business travel and meetings, Kevin Iwamoto, vice president of industry strategy at travel and meetings innovator Lanyon, played a prominent role in educating this year’s CTW Asia-Pacific audience on the future of the industry. This included a focus on the emergence of the sharing economy, both in accommodation and transport sectors, and how it could reshape the future of business travel. During the media briefing, Oakwood Worldwide, a corporate housing and

serviced apartments solutions provider, announced a launch of its hotel desk at its Asia Pacific regional headquarters, a first in the serviced apartment industry. This comes after Oakwood Worldwide acquired its Travel Industry Designator Service (TIDS) accreditation from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Founded in 1960, Oakwood Worldwide is the preferred partner of Marriott International that has been

meeting the extended stay needs of Fortune 100 clients and government agencies. With more than 205,000 apartments servicing 85 countries across the globe, Oakwood is expecting a lineup of new properties in Colombo, Tokyo, Brisbane, Suzhou, Singapore, Chengdu, Surabaya, Ho Chi Minh City and more. While being a trusted accommodation and service provider for corporate or business travel, Oakwood has also been involved in providing facilities for meeting groups. More than 16 properties are equipped with meeting facilities, and with the recent joint venture with Mapletree, around 100 more new properties are expected to be built, among which those with meeting facilities have yet to be confirmed. The trade show’s ability to bring in much sought-after niche segment, create relevant networking opportunities and meet educational objectives are some of the reasons why exhibitors and visitors alike continue to attend the event.

Pre-event golf game

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ROUTE AWAKENING FIND INNER PEACE ON A ROUTE LESS TRAVELLED AND EXPERIENCE MUCH MORE . WORDS: GINA SIN

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK It is only natural to think that Phuket was just about its beaches and nightlife. But slightly over an hour’s drive down from Phuket’s airport to Phang Nga brings you to Wat Suwannakuha, also known as “the temple with a big Buddha in a cave”. The temple is set in a limestone cliff within close proximities to the Raman Waterfall National Forest that is known for its nature trails and six different waterfalls. The surroundings of Wat Suwannakuha is also home to plenty of monkeys that have become accustomed to being fed by visitors. Inside the main cave, an impressive reclining Buddha occupies the side, exuding an air of serenity. There are also a number of smaller statues and a big Chedi that contains the bones of the Na Takuathung family who were the local governors some 160 years ago. Past the Buddha and up the steps reveals a more spacious part of the cave, where dwelling birds and fruit bats alike can be spotted.

the Thais, so groups can feel free to purchase milk bottles or grass to feed them. Its restaurant, Dairy Hut Seafood, serves a decent fare of fresh seafood, and has a relatively large space for events to be held.

RECHARGE No trip to Phuket is complete without staying at a beachfront resort. Lying on the gleaming white sands of Mai Khao Beach, Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa covers approximately 3.8 hectares of area and houses four suites, 26

pool villas and 150 deluxe rooms. As part of its efforts to build an inclusive community, Renaissance Phuket is part of the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation that protects nesting turtle, maintains the environment to enable successful hatching of their eggs, and assist in the safe release of hatchlings. The resort also hosts the annual Global Day of Discovery, where guests and the local community are invited to attend exclusive hotel events and venture into the neighbourhood to experience its offerings available.

A further 30 minutes’ drive leads to Dairy Hut Farm at the base of a limestone karst. The petting zoo houses a collection of sheep, Llamas, Alpacas, Wallabies, calves, horses, and more. Woolly animals are a novelty to

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VIETNAM KEEPS IT REAL ON VIETNAM’S CENTRAL COAST, GROUP EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES BRING DELEGATES IN TOUCH WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. Sustainability is still a challenge in Vietnam’s developing tourism sector, but a handful of resorts are offering Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes for business event and incentive groups. Nguyen Van Tuan, general director at the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said the strong growth in tourism over the past two decades has contributed to developing the national economy, helped eradicate hunger and poverty, preserved and upheld cultural values and protected the environment, but there are still many challenges. Resorts in the central coast city of Da Nang are leading the way when it comes to sustainability and CSR, while in the main centres the emphasis is more on luxury and culture. MICE groups to Da Nang are being offered activities that bring them in touch with the community, including opportunities to work with charity groups. “Incentive group activities are increasingly focusing more on CSR initiatives,” says Michal Zitek, area general manager of Banyan Tree & Angsana Lang Co Resorts. He cites examples such as teaching English and planting trees at schools. Favourite group activities include visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites. Vitours, which specialises in business events, has found that delegates like to visit World Heritage and eco-tourism sites, while the favourite team building activity is assembling bicycles for children.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) has the potential to become a leading MICE destination in South-East Asia, according to American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) executive director Herb Cochran. He believes public-private partnerships could lead to investment in the sector and help promote sustainable tourism development. Several properties ideal for conference and incentives groups have opened in the southern city this year, including Le Meridien Saigon, Reverie Saigon (on both CNN and Yahoo’s top 10 lists of hotels), Hotel des Art Saigon, part of the MGallery Collection, and the GEM Center. In Da Nang, new owners have upgraded the former HAGL and renamed it One Opera Da Nang. Scheduled to open in 2016 is a Hilton, while groundwork is about to start on a Marriott nearby. Four Points by Sheraton Danang is expected to open in 2017, followed by Sheraton Danang Resort in 2018.

CREATIVITY IS KING If there is one detail that sets aside the new Le Meridien Saigon from other properties, it is the hotel’s 24-hour curated soundtrack. This background music, from French group Nouvelle Vague and heard in the elevators and public spaces of the hotel, came to life when Le Meridien Saigon had its official opening – two musicians and two singers from the group were

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Vespas Vietnam

“

is not too difficult to organise an event in Vietnam, but the brief needs a lot of explanation, and you must be around to make sure it’s really like what you want.

“

MICHAL ZITEK Area General Manager Banyan Tree & Angsana Lang Co Resorts

Vietnam Conference Centre

spa and health offering, with detoxifying food and drink. The Art Cacao outlet off the lobby offers eclairs, artesian chocolate and sweet bites.

flown in from Paris to perform at the celebrations.

lifts, and even the guest key cards are designed as collector’s items.

Culture and cuisine are two cornerstones of the Le Meridien brand, which like Vietnam resonates with French influences. Building on the brand’s promise to “unlock” each destination, Le Meridien Saigon introduced special insights into Ho Chi Minh City for special guests at its opening.

Reinterpreting the traditional hotel lobby, Le Meridien Hub offers coffee culture by day and Le Meridien Sparkling spritzers and cocktails in the evening in a setting that includes bookshelves and video art. Each Le Meridien has a master barista, and eclairs are a feature. For the grand opening, the hotel brought in its global master barista Franz Zauner and latte artist Esther Maassdam.

General manager Frank Bochmann, an Australian, says he is confident the hotel will elevate the city’s hospitality landscape and highlight Vietnamese culture. As an example, the special guests – plus an international media contingent – were taken on a Vespa tour of the city, visiting such landmarks as the General Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral and Saigon Opera House. Included was a local coffee experience, a visit to a contemporary art gallery, and a coffee demonstration at a restaurant along with a fine-dining spin on traditional Vietnamese cuisine. Art, coffee and fine dining are all part of the Le Meridien Saigon style, with local artworks on each level opposite the

The 350 guest rooms and suites in the hotel include a Presidential Suite, where UK Prime Minister David Cameron has already been a guest. On the meetings side, Le Meridien Saigon has more than 1000 sq m of venues, including the 400 sq m ballroom. For the grand opening party, guests included Vietnamese celebrities while the entertainment included local singers and entertainers, a Nouvelle Vague performance and a fashion parade (in which the Nouvelle Vague singers participated while the group’s keyboard player hopped on the drums to play along with the soundtrack).

“Culture and cuisine are our new approach,” Asia Pacific senior brand director Arnaud Champenois told journalists (he is also responsible for other Starwood brands St Regis, The Luxury Collection and W Hotels). “We help guests find something they didn’t know they were looking for, through gastronomy and culture.” Le Meridien Saigon has three dining venues: Bamboo Chic (JapaneseChinese cuisine with European touches), Latest Recipe (breakfasts and buffets) and Latitude 10 (fine coffee, fine wines, cocktails and sake creations). There is also Explore Bistro, part of the

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# ! ! ? PARK HYATT SAIGON

Guest House - long table set up

PARK HYATT SAIGON redefines luxury

Park Hyatt Saigon. Paintings from established local artists are displayed throughout the hotel, including collaterals such as room keys, welcome cards and banquet menus.

Following a three-month revamp of its facilities, Park Hyatt Saigon is now ready to impress with its new range of luxurious venue offerings.

SAVOUR NEW FLAVOURS Restaurants Square One, Opera and Park Lounge have all been upgraded with new menu offerings. Park Loungeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous Afternoon Tea concept remains, but has been enhanced by the new Bollinger champagne offering.

MEET IN LUXURY Innovative new venues for events include The Guest House, which consist of five Drawing Rooms and The Study. Guest House is able to host up to 120 people in a banquet setting, spanning across 390 sqm of space. The 158 sqm Pool House located on the third floor offers stunning views over lush gardens and a pool that has been redesigned with thousands of hand-crafted mosaic pieces and a dramatic lighting system when night falls. Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that allow natural daylight to flood in, Pool House also has a private built-in multi-functional barbeque area, making it the ideal place for unique and intimate events. The propertyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature French colonial ambience has been maintained with a bright colour palette of white and ivory added to the public areas and Park Lounge, transforming the main areas of the building into a fresh and sophisticated sanctuary of peace.

Automated screens and projectors, simplified wall-mounted touchscreen control of all systems in the meeting venue, as well as wireless iPad room control are some of the other state-of-the-art features to the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upgraded meeting facilities.

Crystal chandeliers reflect natural lighting coming through the high windows, while eclectic handcrafted furniture blends Vietnamese traditional elements with a mix of different patterns, colours and shapes, giving the whole venue a brand new look. Park Hyatt Saigonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 245 rooms and suites have also been upgraded, along with new room categories added.

EMBRACING TRADITION IN DETAIL The Vietnamese culture is expressed through traditional Vietnamese artworks and photography displayed in every corner of

Square One has added more traditional Vietnamese dishes such as chicken curry in a clay pot. Its western collection boasts new signature dishes from the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new chef, Jamie Celaya, offering more choices on the steak and grill items. Operaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traditional Sunday Brunch has now become the Italian Sunday Feast, where an extravagance of Italian flavours is offered with ice cold Bollinger champagne. PARK HYATT SAIGON TURNS 10 THIS OCTOBER 2015 marks a historical milestone for Park Hyatt Saigon as the hotel celebrates its 10th year anniversary. Celebrate this special occasion and take advantage of the exclusive MICELUX promotion. Book your next event at Park Hyatt Saigon and enjoy up to 15% rebates off your master bill, complementary internet and double Hyatt Gold Passportâ&#x201E;˘ Planner Rewards bonus points. Book your events from now till December 20, 2015 for stays from now till December 31, 2015.

For more information on Park Hyatt Saigon, visit parkhyattsaigon.com or call +84 8 3824 1234. Park Deluxe Suite Biz Asia_Advertorial.indd 51 Event Park Hyatt Saigon AD.indd 1 53

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A 50-YEAR NATIONAL AGENDA SINGAPORE’S SUSTAINABILITY PLEDGE SPREADS BEYOND THE BUSINESS EVENTS INDUSTRY Singapore is known for its focus on development and implementation efficiencies, and sustainability forms part of the national agenda. According to the “Sustainable Singapore Blueprint 2015” published by Singapore’s Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the Ministry of National Development, Singapore started its sustainability efforts in the 1960s. Since gaining independence, the government has turned Singapore from a nation with employment, sanitation and infrastructure challenges to a leading city respected for its economic success. The Singapore government has been committed to six sustainable land planning principles that include promoting the use of public transport, decentralising commercial centres, conserving nature as well as preserving heritage. A good case study to this commitment is the implementation of sustainable housing in Singapore with key focuses on automated waste collection, rainwater harvesting, elevator regeneration system, and more. The government went further by unveiling plans in 2010 to make the suburb of Punggol Singapore’s first eco-town. According to the report, Punggol is now a living laboratory for new ideas

and technologies to create a better living environment for, and promote sustainable living among residents. A holistic and sustainable development framework covering environmental, social and economic dimensions was also drawn up to support it.

INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENT Beyond domestic implementation, Singapore has pledged to be a party for international agreements such as: Montreal Protocol: Singapore has pledged to signify our commitment to reduce consumption of ozone depleting substances and protect the ozone layer Kyoto Protocol: Singapore has pledged to reduce our emissions by conducting emission-reduction projects During the COP 15, Singapore pledged to reduce carbon emissions by seven to 11 percent by year 2020

A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH FOR SUSTAINABLE EVENTS Sustainable business event industry practices mean business to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Focusing on long term gains, Singapore adopted a systematic four-phase approach:

Phase 1: Situational analysis of Business Tourism and MICE (BTMICE) industry In 2012, an audit was conducted on the state of sustainability practices within the MICE industry in Singapore. It was carried out to identify gaps and areas of opportunities in environmental sustainability. The audit led to the launch of a set of MICE Sustainability Guidelines in 2013, referenced from international standards such as ISO 20121 and the APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meeting Standards. The guidelines covered seven industry categories from hotels to audio-visual setup. The guidelines also served as a common reference to help and encourage local meeting planners and other tourism stakeholders to embrace sustainable practices across the different aspects of the MICE business value chain, from planning business events to delivering enriching experiences to MICE visitors.

Phase 2: Benchmarking – In-depth analysis of where Singapore stands and identifying gaps and opportunities This year, STB commissioned the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to explore the state

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CASE STUDY: INTERNATIONAL GREEN BUILDING CONFERENCE (IGBC), SINGAPORE 2015

Singapore Botanic Gardens

of Singapore’s business events industry from the perspective of environmental sustainability. Sustainability is an important area of concern due to the increase in demand for sustainable events and a growing interest from event owners and delegates. Through stakeholder interviews, the report uncovered key industry challenges and opportunities to promote sustainability in the MICE industry. Business events professionals could capitalise on these findings and secure an early competitive edge by implementing sustainable practices around their businesses and events.

Phase 4: Certification – Development of certification that is applicable across markets STB will be working with the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS) to develop a certification and accreditation structure that is applicable across markets. This initiative is another example of Singapore’s commitment to professionalise the business events industry. It also echoes Singapore’s aspirations to be Asia’s MICE capital, championing talent, knowledge, and where competitive MICE companies and associations are headquartered.

A keystone event for Singapore Green Building Week, IGBC hosted various talks, dialogues, as well as workshops on green living and infrastructure. Sustainability efforts at the event included: Venue: The event was held at Marina Bay Sands, a BCA Green Mark Platinum certified venue with many features that emphasise sustainability and is easily accessible by public transport. Power consumption: Lights in the halls were limited to 50 percent power during build-up and rated at 75 percent during the event itself. Delegates were also advised to follow a “no coat, no tie” dress code so that cooling energy can be reduced without compromising on comfort. Reduction of wastage: The event encouraged the use of the IGBC app in efforts to reduce the use of paper for collaterals. Lanyards were also recycled, and leftover food was donated to charity.

The report is set to launch at ibtm world trade show held in Barcelona from November 17 to 19, 2015.

Phase 3: Education – Working with industry players on knowledge sharing of practises STB recognises that working closely with industry partners is imperative in achieving environmental sustainability in business events. The board is set to work towards promoting educational efforts for industry development.

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#DelveInto

PROFIT AND TALENT LOSS BIZ EVENTS ASIA’S PANEL OF EXPERTS DISCUSSED HOW TALENT MANAGEMENT AFFECTS PROFITABILITY. Quality talent is a scarce resource in Asia. The challenge of attracting, developing and retaining talent into the business events and hospitality industries remains a constant in a company’s profitability. Neeta Lachmandas questioned why the human resource role in the industry is still perceived as an administrative function instead of a strategic one. Thomas Wai and Andrew Chan both cited strategic HR success in the fashion and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industries. Such HR strategists from these industries understand the financial side of the business and have come through the operations side of the business. Their skillset commands at least 20 to 30 percent more pay than the business events and hospitality industries. To be fair to the latter industries, other than hotels and venues, most companies are SMEs. Although pay is important, it is definitely not everything. Regardless of company size, the panellists advised that business structures must be set up to sustain talent and promote growth. Wai explained that talent management is not as challenging when a manager focuses on the right area. He suggested to first know who the top performers are in the company and ensure that they are being valued. These top performers may be part of the succession plan in the future. Chan said that top performers leave their jobs because their managers

The panel was held at ITB Asia 2015 with industry experts Neeta Lachmandas, executive director of the Institute of Service Excellence at SMU, Thomas Wai, director, Asia Pacific of Talent Plus Inc., and Andrew Chan, founder and CEO of ACI HR Solutions.

did not tell them that they are doing a good job. Some managers did not spend time in developing talent hence they could not see the company’s long term plan for them. The panel also recommended that communication is key when it comes to talent management. Knowing why talent stay at a job and what is important to them underpin the business strategies for growing the business. Have twoway conversations instead of making assumptions especially with millennials. According to The Asian Millennial Workforce & The Travel Industry Study commissioned by the Singapore Tourism Board with knowledge partner, McKinsey & Company, 75 percent of workers globally will be millennials by 2025. Managers have to accept the labour turnover reality and shape workforce development on a three-year

COMMITMENT TO FUTURE TALENT On October 29, 2015, the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two leading international hotel groups – InterContinental Hotels Group and Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc to establish education and industry partnerships to provide its students exposure to the hospitality industry and real-life business environments. This will also strengthen SIT’s unique Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP), and allow students the opportunity to attend a fourmonth industrial attachment and an eight-month work placement under the IWSP.

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block. Take advantage of the labour churn to “weed” out mismatch talent.

“

egardless of company size, the panellists advised that business structures must be set up to sustain talent and promote growth. – Biz Events Asia panellists

“

aNdrew chaN Founder and CEO ACI HR Solutions

Service is an integral part of the hospitality experience. Lachmandas encouraged companies to start training service effectiveness instead of treating it as a business cost. “Service affects profitability” said Lachmandas. The service staff are vital to a business success because they are the real communicator of the business culture, and have the power to affect the value of a dining experience or a weekend hotel stay. Lachmandas pointed out that on websites like TripAdvisor, service rating dominates the feedback channel. When it comes to using technology in service, companies must be realistic with productivity expectations. Tools like digital menus and ordering platforms in a restaurant are there to enhance guest experience and not an excuse to reduce staff manning. Providing good service impacts not only on profitability but on the professionalism and respect the industry deserves. Biz Events Asia produced a video where four Singaporeans expressed their views on service in the hospitality industry. The findings were they feel service is more important than the product. While they appreciate being served, one expressed that Asian parents in Singapore do not feel that the education investment justify that pay levels a service staff may get. One who works in a cafe felt that service acknowledgement is still lacking.

For more information on the video, visit www.bizeventsasia.com/watch.

Passion leads to new role Neeta Lachmandas has been appointed as the executive director of the Institute of Service Excellence (ISES) at the Singapore Management University. It is the same passion in talent development Lachmandas shares with Biz Events Asia’s managing director, El Kwang that led to the magazine’s decision of inviting Lachmandas as the 11th editorial advisory board member. Professor Gerry George, dean of SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business said, “Neeta brings with her a proven track record as an administrator and a strategic thinker. Having worked in the services industry for many years, she has an in-depth understanding of Singapore’s services landscape, and would be able to bring fresh ideas and approaches to the work of ISES.” Prior to joining ISES, Lachmandas was the assistant chief executive of Business Development Group at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). She led STB’s efforts in strengthening Singapore’s position as a premier business and MICE destination; increasing Singapore’s share of the medical tourism and private education sector; and growing the cruise industry.

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Neeta LachmaNdas Executive director Institute of Service Excellence at SMU

#DelveInto

ITB ASIA DRIVES MATURITY IN ASIAN BUSINESS EVENTS A MORE STRUCTURED INDUSTRY AND SUSTAINABLE FOCUS AT THIS YEAR’S ITB ASIA. WORDS: GINA SIN The eighth edition of ITB Asia drew 760 exhibitors from 73 countries, with close to 880 buyers and more than 10,300 attendees over the three days of trade show. Following its elder sibling, ITB Berlin’s footsteps, ITB Asia as a hybrid show structured each day’s conference programme themes according to the various sectors of the travel industry, which included corporate travel, MICE and leisure travel. This allowed the line-up of conference programmes to provide a holistic and comprehensive view of the latest trends, issues and opportunities in each sector. The show also saw a strong focus on the importance of attracting and supporting associations, with an AIPC panel discussion and a series of sessions from “EAST Meetings WEST: A K.I.T. Group Study Trip for

Association Executives” that focused on how European and international associations can optimise their activities and relationships within the Asia Pacific region. Travel and hospitality disruptors such as Airbnb attracted one of the largest turnouts from trade show attendees on the show floor’s presentation hub, most of which were eager to find out more about how home sharing is making an economic impact in cities around the world.

SUSTAINING RELATIONSHIPS ITB Asia announced on the last day of the show that it has signed an extended collaboration with Marina Bay Sands as the host venue for another three years from 2017 to 2019. “This extension demonstrates our ongoing commitment to take ITB Asia to the next level. Marina Bay Sands is renowned for creating extraordinary experiences, and we have forged an excellent working relationship over the past few years. We will continue to harness the

expertise and synergies to create an optimal business environment for our delegates and lift the overall offering of our show to exhibitors, buyers and attendees,” said Katrina Leung, executive director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), the organisers of ITB Asia. Working with Marina Bay Sands over the last two years has likewise allowed ITB Asia to reduce its carbon footprint. Food items chosen were sourced regionally, newly activated in-room motion sensors were utilised to ensure maximum lighting efficiency in meeting rooms, and room temperatures were set to 24 degree Celsius for optimal energy usage. Organisers are expecting to expand the show in 2016 and continue its successful elements like the onfloor Travel & Technology showcase. ITB Asia will also be introducing new features such as a Destination Showcase where destinations can highlight their unique offerings to attendees.

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#Engage

HOSTED BUYERS INVITED TO APPLY FOR AIME 2016

AS ONE OF THE LEADING BUSINESS EVENTS EXHIBITION FOR THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION DRAWS CLOSE, HOSTED BUYERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR THE AIME HOSTED BUYER® PROGRAMME. WORDS: GINA SIN

Biz Events Asia caught up with Melissa Casey, AIME hosted buyer manager, Reed Travel Exhibitions to find out more about what’s on offer for hosted buyers at AIME 2016, to be held from February 23 to 24 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Q: What does AIME offer hosted buyers? A: AIME offers hosted buyers the opportunity to meet with more than 600 Australian and international suppliers from five continents, and build networks with a community of more than 4,000 event professionals through a dedicated and exclusive diary. Hosted buyers can organise appointments prior to the show, as well as enjoy numerous other benefits including flights, four to five star accommodation, social events, regional Victoria pre-touring options and access to the hosted buyer lounge on the show floor.

Q: Who can apply? A: Applications are open to those responsible for managing, organising or influencing business events, business travel, conferences, meetings, exhibitions or incentives, from Australia and around the world.

Q: What sort of exhibitors would hosted buyers be able to meet with? A: Exhibitors at AIME include convention bureaux from across the Asia Pacific region including our recent global partner, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau; venues including a range of purpose built convention centres and event spaces; accommodation including five star hotels; a range of suppliers from audiovisual to caterers, event management companies, and many more. At AIME, there’s everything an event buyer would need to put on a stellar event.

Q: How have hosted buyers from previous years had success in building relationships at AIME? A: We love hearing about the connections that were made and the business that gets done through the year after the seeds are planted at

AIME. We’ve had hosted buyers develop entirely new supplier networks, embark on relationships lasting over a decade and negotiate deals on the show floor. More importantly, we see buyers develop social networks and pick up hints and tips through our education programme that inspire them to think differently about how they can deliver business events.

Q: What is new in 2016 for hosted buyers? A: The biggest change is the introduction of the dedicated AIME Hosted Buyer Education Sessions. These have been designed specifically for buyers, and will be held on Monday, February 22, prior to the tradeshow which officially begins on Tuesday, February 23. This will give buyers an opportunity to be immersed in inspiring educational content, so not only will they make valuable business connections, they’ll also leave feeling that they’ve learnt something too!

Q: How can people apply to be a hosted buyer at AIME 2016? A: They can apply to be a Hosted Buyer at AIME 2016 via http://www.aime.com. au/hosted-buyers/. The process takes 20 minutes. Applicants are encouraged to apply early as places are limited.

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GROW YOUR BUSINESS The Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) is the leading business events and meetings exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where 4,500 suppliers and buyers unite for two powerful days of business, knowledge and networking. Join us at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre on the 23-24 February 2016. For more information about attending as a Hosted Buyer visit www.aime.com.au/hosted-buyers

Part of:

Organised by:

Organised by

Owned by:

ibtm events is a registered trademark of Reed Exhibitions Limited.

ibtm events and Reed Travel Exhibitions are owned and protected by Elsevier Properties SA and Reed Exhibitions Limited uses such trademarks under license.

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ANNUAL WINE DOWN ITB ASIA The long awaited Wine Down ITB Asia this year organised by ACI HR Solutions and Biz Events Asia saw a turnout of more than 200 people within the events, tourism and hospitality sectors, including attendees from all over the world who took the chance to be with us while in Singapore for the three-day ITB Asia trade show from October 21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 23, 2015. Held at Marina Mandarin Singapore hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Atrium Lounge, guests donned 60s outfit to the best of their creativity levels and were entertained by Christo Alexander from Song Division. Three winners were selected for Best Dressed, while three Magnum bottles were given away to the most spontaneous groups. This event is sponsored by Duetto, ForwardKeys, handy, IDeaS and Oracle Hospitality, and supported by ACTE Global, HFTP and HSMAI.

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#WiredUp

SHERATON MACAO CHAMPIONS IBM CONFERENCE FROM BIDDING TO SERVICE AND EXECUTION, SHERATON MACAO PLAYED UP TO IBM’S EXPECTATIONS. WORDS: GINA SIN

THE BRIEF Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central hosted a four-day IBM Analytics Sales Academy 2015 event for analytics and technical sales team and its business partners to further refine their industry acumen and consultative selling skills. A total of 1,202 delegates from Asia Pacific, Greater China, the Middle East, Africa and Japan attended the event from August 4 to 7, 2015.

THE EXECUTION The event kicked off with a networking welcome reception at Sheraton Macao’s Tiki Pool in a fun and casual outdoor setting. Terry Bird, IBM event organiser and mechanical engineer donned his Deejay hat for the evening and played music that got everyone energised and motivated for the next few days of meetings. Over the next few days, delegates attended several theatre-styled Main Tent sessions in the hotel’s 4,890-sq m Kashgar Ballroom. Technology breakout sessions were also held in more intimate meeting spaces, all conveniently located on the fifth floor of the hotel. IBM designed a mobile app with Gather Digital specifically tailored for this

event so that all delegates could access agenda information, maps, real-time messaging, conduct live polling, receive instant feedback and submit questions from their mobile devices. On the last day, IBM invited a motivational speaker and talented musician Freddie Ravel to talk about how music plays an instrumental role in leadership and how to “listen” through all the clutter of data.

THE REASON Through a competitive bidding process, Sheraton Macao came out tops from a financial and logistics perspective, according to Bird. “We chose Sheraton Macao because there are only a small number of locations that could handle the size and complexity of getting 1,200 people into a Main Tent and then 30-40 people in meeting of different configurations – round tables and classroom based. These really narrowed down the number of locations that could accommodate, and Sheraton Macao really met our needs.”

THE OUTCOME IBM formed a new Analytics unit this year and decided to create a really impactful event in Macau during the third quarter

of this year. “Rather than holding a product-focused event, we chose to turn the event on its head and focus on business problems. We met to find solutions to resolve problems and had a conversation on how we should engage with clients in a much more productive way,” said Bird. He also highlighted that the overall experience from guest services to food and beverage, as well meeting space management have all been incredible and attentive. “The team at Sheraton Macao were very responsive, agile and willing to work with our needs. We’ve been amazingly happy with the service received”.

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#Deals visit www.bizeventsasia.com/deals for more deals online

Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok THAILAND

Pay for two and stay for three at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok from now until December 20, 2015. Book a minimum of three nights and enjoy a night free. Offer is valid for bookings from now until December 19, 2015, and stays from now until December 20, 2015. Tel: +66 2 254 1234 Email: reservations.bangh@hyatt.com

PARKROYAL Melbourne Airport AUSTRALIA

Book your next meeting at PARKROYAL Melbourne Airport from December 1, 2015 through to February 29, 2016 and take advantage of its AUD75 (USD53) Day Delegate Package, which includes chilled sparkling mineral water throughout the day and a deli lunch. Tel: +61 3 8347 2130 Email: events.prmla@parkroyalhotels.com

Starwood Hotels & Resorts GLOBAL

Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park SINGAPORE

Earn double Starpoints速 and double eligible nights toward elite status when you book events at any of our 10 brands worldwide between now and December 31, 2015, with arrival dates between now until December 31, 2016.

Enjoy perks when you meet from now till the end of 2015 at Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park. Full-day meeting packages start from SGD50 (USD35) per person, which includes two coffee breaks and one lunch break.

Website: spg.com/double

Tel: +65 6808 6484 Email: events@ramadasingapore.com

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roger.simons@mci-group.com el@bizeventsasia.com gina@bizeventsasia.com

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