Biz Events Asia Volume 7 November 2019

Volume 7 | November 2019

ASSOCIATIONS

Legacy programmes that pack a punch; Inclusive event design

M&I TOOLKIT

Event psychology; Immersive experiences in South Korea and Thailand

DISASTER PR

macau FRANKFURT

venice

CAPE TOWN BARCELONA

KUALA LUMPUR PARIS SINGAPORE ISTANBUL LONDON PHUKET MELBOURNE

BANGKOK

HONG KONG

Yangon

SHANGHAI christchurch

NEW YORK SRI LANKA Tokyo mumbai BEIJING

BALI SANfran cisco osaka seoul

DUBAI ROME

HOW TO OVERCOME MEDIA HYPE IN TIMES OF CRISIS

E d i t o r ’s Letter

Crisis talks

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

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t the time this issue of Biz Events Asia was sent to press, Hong Kong’s financial secretary, Paul Chan Mo-po, announced that the city had fallen into recession after more than five months of anti-government protests, which show no signs of relenting.

The ongoing crisis in Hong Kong has dominated international news channels, where scenes of violent clashes with police, vandalised shopfronts and damaged subway stations remain top of mind.

Media hype has indeed caused fear among the business events industry, with several corporate meetings and events postponed or transferred to neighbouring destinations like Singapore and Thailand. What the mass media doesn’t highlight, however, are the successful events that have taken place in Hong Kong during this trying time.

We examine the situation in Hong Kong in our Cover Story (p.22) and assess the damage caused by media hype.

More importantly, however, we highlight strategies used by industry professionals in other destinations to overcome negative perception.

As an industry, if we really want to demonstrate our value as a force for social and economic good, we need to constantly engage with the mass media — not just react or retreat in times of crisis. As we become accustomed to living and working in an increasingly VUCA world, DMOs and CVBs must be proactive and transparent with their brand messages.

In the words of Mad Men’s Don Draper: “If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.” To our friends in Hong Kong, we are with you. We hope the examples shared in this issue will strengthen your resolve.

Lauren Arena Managing Editor

Managing Editor Lauren Arena lauren@untangledgroup.com CEO | Publisher El Kwang el@untangledgroup.com

Sales & Operations Michelle Lim michellelim@untangledgroup.com Lilian Kuan lilian@untangledgroup.com

Creative Director Chua Yi Kiat kiat@untangledgroup.com

Contributors Sanjay Surana Kim Benjamin Gerardine Donough-Tan

Senior Reporter Anis Ramli anis@untangledgroup.com

Design & Production PIXO fanix@pixosolutions.com

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International Media Representatives China: Mary Yao mary@mhichina.com +86 10 6551 5663 ext 8008 Dubai: Rahul Sequeira rahul.sequeira@themediavantage.com +971 56 693 1213 South Korea: Alexander Paik apcomm@naver.com +82 10 5042 1337

Biz Events Asia is published by Untangled Pte Ltd 308 Tanglin Road, GreenHub Offices, Phoenix Park, Singapore 247974 Email: hello@bizeventsasia.com | Website: www.bizeventsasia.com Tel: +65 9833 1583 Visit us online for regular updates throughout the month: www.bizeventsasia.com Privacy Policy: Untangled is committed to managing your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act. For a copy of our Privacy Policy, please go to www.bizeventsasia.com/privacy Printed in Singapore by Sunrise Printing & Supplies Pte Ltd. Reg no. L002/11/2017 PPS 1785/04/2013 (022963) MCI (P) 036/08/2019

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CHINA

Universal Tourism Exhibition Hangzhou | 5 December 2019

HONG KONG

Tedx HongKong Hong Kong | 30 November 2019

THAILAND

Thai International Travel Fair (TITF) Bangkok | 16-19 January 2020

MALAYSIA

ICCA Asia Pacific Chapter Inaugural Summit 2019 Penang | 5-6 December 2019

AUSTRALIA

AIME Melbourne | 17-19 February 2020

SINGAPORE

Singapore FinTech Festival Singapore | 11-15 November 2019

Contents Volume 7 2019

Max Jantasuwan Founding CEO Events Travel Asia

Selina Sinclair Global Managing Director Pacific World

Andrew Chan CEO ACI HR Solutions

Deanna Varga Director Mayvin Global

Editorial Advisory board members

Ronald Lim Event Director & Founder Think Tank Productions

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Janet Tan-Collis CEO East West Planners

Neeta Lachmandas Executive Director The Institute of Service Excellence, Singapore Management University

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

Damion Breust CEO Directions Conference & Incentive Management

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Co ntents

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Upfront Leader Gen Next Diversity & Inclusion Case Study

Cover 22 Story How to overcome media hype in times of crisis, and why some destinations recover faster than others.

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South Korea

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Thailand

Cultural activities and unique venues in Seoul.

Dual-destination event ideas in Bangkok and Hua Hin.

Associations Impact

Legacy initiatives that help demonstrate the ‘beyond tourism’ benefits of meetings.

M&I Toolkit

Tap into neuroscience and psychology to create impactful event experiences.

Wellness feature

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Blend wellness into your events with Accor’s collection of unique locations, venues and activities that reduce stress and inspire creativity.

Up Close

STB’s Edward Koh outlines his plans to boost business events in Singapore.

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Up front

Event trends to watch in 2020 Safety and security remain top priority, followed by festivalisation and immersive tech.

By Anis Ramli

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ith the global business events industry worth an estimated US$1.5 trillion — and growing steadily — what can industry players do to stay relevant and meet the needs of clients in the future?

Here are five key trends gleaned from CWT Meetings & Events’ 2020 Future Trends report to help event professionals navigate the coming year effortlessly.

Prioritise safety and security Safety is a big concern, but won’t deter meeting planners from exploring remote destinations. As a precautionary measure, though, medical and security risk firms should be engaged to assess risks, while access to accurate and timely information is critical.

“Event organisers want to ensure attendees are protected at meetings. If they are bringing a large group of people to a destination, they want to know what their exposure to safety and security risks are,” says Sam Lay, Asia Pacific senior director at CWT Meetings & Events.

“Clients are more attuned to these risks than before. They are making sure they have contingency plans in place.”

Tech savvy Smartphone applications, augmented reality, virtual reality and radio-frequency identification (RFID) will be increasingly adopted to engage attendees and create intuitive, personalised experiences in 2020.

“The main trend we will continue to pursue is personalisation, using the countless data points we have to allow attendees to create their own experiences within events,” says Jean-Philippe Dumas, senior creative director of global sales at CWT Meetings & Events.

With the workforce soon to be populated by Generation Z, technology will play an even bigger integral role in meeting these digital natives’ expectations.

Immersive experiences There’s also greater demand for experiential and immersive events, the report observes,

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Festival vibes... Immersive experiences on the rise, alongside more tech tools for events.

and technology can drive deeper engagement with event attendees.

The festivalisation trend — think Coachella and SXSW — can be adapted to meetings to create immersive experiences that help to achieve business objectives. Even room set-up and stage configuration can take inspiration from concerts and festivals to encourage greater participation.

Transformative travel Addressing the flourishing incentive market, the report makes a point about the growing demand for genuine lifechanging experiences and off-the-beaten track destinations.

“Second and third-tier destinations will be attractive in 2020 as incentive qualifiers seek authenticity over luxury,” says Pádraic Gilligan, chief marketing officer for the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE).

Evolve with the industry Industry developments in automotive and life sciences are expected to impact the business of events.

In the automotive sector, the move towards electric vehicles will mean more training, product launches and sales events. Meanwhile, operational budget cutbacks in companies in the life sciences field will affect how their meetings and events are rolled out.

“We are not necessarily seeing a reduction in the number of meetings, but we’re seeing different sizes and types of meetings,” says Brenda Miller, senior director, global SMM life sciences, CWT Meetings & Events.

“This is not about the number of meetings, but the total spend. They may cut the number of attendees, reduce the duration of an event, or change the destination to smarter and more costeffective locations.”

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U p f ro nt

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The long-overdue Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) is set to open its doors in the first quarter of 2020, according to newlyappointed general manager, Tristan Beau de Lomenie.

At the MACEOS BE Forum in Kuala Lumpur in October, de Lomenie said he is eager to collaborate with industry stakeholders to ensure the venue does not become a white elephant.

“I have met most of the hotel general managers, the airlines and industry,” he says. “Everybody is eager to collaborate and start partnering with us so that we can finally develop the state, the city and make it one of the top MICE destinations of Malaysia.”

He adds: “My primary role is to get this convention centre open, and that will happen in the first quarter of 2020. Then, it is to run, operate, and market it nationally and internationally.”

New Zealand A massive fire ripped through the site of SkyCity’s New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland on 22 October. The NZ$700m NZICC was expected to open in late 2020, with bookings from March 2021.

However, significant fire damage is expected to delay the opening and there is talk that the APEC CEO meeting scheduled for November 2021 may be cancelled. The NZICC and associated five-star hotel were already many months behind schedule.

Julia Swanson takes the helm of Melbourne Convention Bureau as CEO

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Photo credit: www.theguardian.com

Malaysia

Mentor of the Year The Travel Corporation’s chairman emeritus, Robin Yap, has been recognised as the 2019 ‘Mentor of the Year’ by ACI HR Solutions.

Benoit Badufle, managing director of Horus Development & Consulting, was awarded highly commended.

Now in its third year, the annual award programme seeks to acknowledge industry leaders and raise awareness of the importance of mentorship.

ACI HR Solutions founder and CEO, Andrew Chan, says that while this year’s winners are very high-profile, anyone can be a mentor.

“You don’t have to be a senior business leader — mentorship can occur across all designations,” he says.

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BCD M&E appoints Helen Chiou as China director

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Up front

AIMEing high In the lead-up to AIME 2020, event director Jay Martens says the industry responded well to Talk2 Media’s first edition in 2019, and that 2020 is already looking bigger and better.

“We are seeing many return exhibitors taking more space and many new exhibitors signing up,” he says.

“AIME 2019 was the revolution, where 2020 will be an evolution. We have listened closely to our exhibitors and buyers and are fine tuning these changes for February.”

The 2020 Knowledge Exchange will be open to buyers, visitors and exhibitors, focused on the fundamentals of relationship building and its power to drive positive change throughout the region.

“In our industry, knowledge exchange is a very important part for personal and business growth and as a leading platform for business events in Asia Pacific, we will always play a very active role as a contributor to education,” Martens says.

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Read our full interview with Jay Martens at bizeventsasia.com

#Eventprofs take action Industry leaders submitted an ‘Acceleration Action’ outlining how the events sector can be a catalyst for global change at the United Nations Climate Change Summit in New York in September.

The action aims to engage the global events industry around the UN Sustainable Development Goals — and how to position the industry as vital to achieving the UN SDGs — with a particular focus on UN SDG 4: Quality Education.

It commits to ensuring that by 2030, the 1.5 billion people who attend business events every year will acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. The action was submitted with more than 7,000 commitments and promises to secure 100,000 commitments from event professionals around the world, as well as an annual impact report.

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Sydney

The Fullerton Hotel Sydney opened its doors in October in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. Housed in the iconic former General Post Office (most recently home to The Westin Sydney), the five-star hotel marks the first international expansion of the Singapore-based Fullerton brand.

The 416-room hotel offers cross-cultural cuisines and from 1 November will also provide immersive heritage tours.

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ITB Asi a 2 01 9

ITB Asia bolsters market position

Expanded event sees double-digit growth and stronger platform for exhibitors and attendees, but new MICE show needs time to flourish. By Gerardine Donough-Tan

Two degrees of separation... Inaugural MICE Show Asia hit a flat note as action concentrated on ITB Asia’s main event, two floors below.

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n its 12th year in Singapore, ITB Asia not only enjoyed double-digit growth in attendance but also extended its strategic partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board and Marina Bay Sands from 2020 to 2022.

Total visitors increased from more than 11,000 in 2018 to 13,000 this year.

The number of buyers and exhibitors also grew between 12 and 15 per cent from about 1,000 in each category to 1,250 buyers and 1,300 exhibitors respectively.

Business appointments were up seven per cent to 27,000 during the show days from 16 to 18 October.

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“We are pleased to have attracted more buyers, specifically from markets with huge growth potential in travel and tourism,” says Katrina Leung, managing director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), organiser of ITB Asia. “By working closely with exhibitors and through the new Elite Partner Programme, we hope to spur more business opportunities for both parties.”

The creation of MICE Show Asia (MSA) increased total attendance and ITB Asia’s footprint across three floors: the main event spanning the three halls of Basement 2 in Sands Expo and

Convention Centre, MSA in Hall A on Level 1 and conference sessions on Level 3.

The downside was that people had to go back and forth to attend business appointments and the numerous presentations running simultaneously.

Messe Berlin launched MSA to “provide industry suppliers with insights and strategies to meet ever-evolving buyer needs”, with conference sessions “designed to get attendees to rethink how they understand the industry, and gain the ability to set themselves apart”.

The inaugural edition, however, underwhelmed several visitors who

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IT B Asia 2 0 1 9

The dedicated shows allow for streamlined attention and to capture a focused market.

Photo credits: www.itb-asia.com

KATRINA LEUNG Managing director Messe Berlin (Singapore) Knowledge sharing... conference sessions proved popular; while Dream Cruises dominated MSA.

described it as “mediocre” or “not quite the standard of a MICE show”. A pavilion coordinator, while acknowledging interest and enquiries, says: “Overall, it was a bit quiet, maybe because it’s the first year.

We’ll discuss with industry partners whether to remain separate or rejoin our main country pavilion next year.”

Some conference sessions had good turnout but others saw few attendees.

Interesting topics included Aventri’s presentation on MICE trends and strategies, Cvent’s tracking attendee footprint and tech topics on smart data for MICE and indoor mapping.

Indonesia Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s presentation, for instance, captured essential information on the country’s MICE strategies and seven priority destinations, showing statistics, airline links, hotels, venues, major attractions and top industry sectors. Even more illuminating, however, was the fact that Indonesia now has a convention bureau — unknown to many until they met participants at the show.

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Conferences in the main halls fared better, with Knowledge Theatre and Destination Marketing sessions drawing much interest. Travel Technology attendees often spilled into the aisles — perhaps one reason why the organisers are hiving this into a separate show.

Bertie Lawson, managing director of Sampan Travel Myanmar, says the various talks were the highlight of his visit. “I really enjoyed the presentations. They were interesting and informative.”

The star attraction in Hall A was Dream Cruises’ world premiere of hull artwork of its latest ship, Global Dream, along with a mock-up cabin.

“It was a great opportunity for trade partners, media and invited guests to personally experience the cabin, allowing us to provide a live demonstration to highlight some of the features of the Global Class cabins. The feedback has been very encouraging,” says Michael Goh, president of Dream Cruises and head of international sales for Genting Cruise Lines.

Another ‘first’ was the use of facial recognition for show admission, effectively restricting access between L1 and B2. Leung says: “It was essential to introduce facial recognition to heighten security standards. This ensures the accountability of each attendee and prevention of pass misuse. Additionally, as organisers of business events, we wanted to exemplify application of the latest event technologies that enable us to improve event processes.”

In 2020, Messe Berlin will be bravely increasing the size of MSA and launching the inaugural Travel Tech Asia.

Leung explains: “While possibly seen as separate events, both MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia complement each other by catering to these rising sectors in the industry. ITB Asia is the premier meeting place for the travel industry to forge new partnerships and strengthen existing business relationships with players in the region. The dedicated shows allow for streamlined attention and to capture a focused market.”

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Op in i on Leade r

The future of brand storytelling

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In our industry, celebrating diversity should be a priority.

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Effective communication must be relatable, says Freeman Singapore’s executive creative director, Sunny Lai.

ommunication, as an industry, is evolving. The lines between agencies are now blurred. In-house branding departments, media agencies and consultancies are all integrating, as are event and marketing agencies. Advertisers seem to want a piece of the action — or activation — too.

Storytelling is very important. When we tell a story, various factors should be considered: how can I spark conversation, and how can I make my story viral? The answer lies in giving the target audience a strong emotional connection to the narrative. This emotional connection is the future of creative brand storytelling, the ‘superglue’.

The audience has to be taken on a journey of emotional highs and lows. The ‘superglue’ serves to hold the story together, and pepper it with flavours — be it tension or celebration — that are stimulating and provide a cultural point-of-view.

Most of all, it must be relatable. This is especially important as we are no longer relying on just print or film. Instead, communication possibilities are limitless, with no physical boundaries.

You can tell a story in any space. It may be a room where consumers experience the brand, or even a QR code that lets their mobile phones tell the story.

As a result, brand experience agencies like Freeman are integrating strategic and creative ideas across all channels, ensuring that clients are served in more than just event management.

This is a key part of my portfolio as executive creative director — I look at transforming the unglamorous into something ‘sexy’, and making the unfathomable easily understood.

Taking advantage of ongoing trends and culture helps in understanding what your target

audience is looking for, and guides you in how to tell your story in the best way.

Evolving creative strategy across Asia More than ever, Asia is becoming a melting pot between the East and the West. We are seeing Western culture increasingly integrated into brand storytelling across Asia.

This marriage of traditional Asian values with Western freedom of expression makes it an extremely exciting time for creative strategic thinking and brand storytelling, allowing creative directors more liberty to come up with brand experiences and activations for clients, many of which are global brands from Western countries trying to strengthen their footing in Asia.

At the same time, with the influx of Western influences, it is also important to continue to understand and delve deeper into the insights of traditions and cultures in Asia, achieving a good blend from both sides.

Having a diverse team to support projects is therefore important. In a creative team, such diversity allows us to think out of the box.

At Freeman Singapore, we often joke that we are the ‘United Nations’ of the company, as there are more than 10 different nationalities among our staff. Pooling creative talents hailing from different backgrounds enables agencies to provide a variety of perspectives and produce unique creative work.

A creative team with diversity in identities, age, gender, sexuality, race and even personalities would value every individual, and leverage their expertise and background. Each individual is essential to the team’s success. In our industry, celebrating diversity should be a priority.

Sunny Lai is executive creative director at Freeman Singapore. He previously served as executive creative director at Leo Burnett Shanghai.

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O p i ni o n G e n e ra t ion Ne xt

More mentors

Berjaya University College student Jolyn Soh Kher Shien says millennials need better ways to connect with industry leaders.

I This industry needs more prominent role models.

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love to be around people who are passionate about what they do and I find business events professionals totally enjoy their work and possess a great zest for learning new things, which is a quality that I admire.

My aim has always been to build a strong network in my chosen field and I believe that learning from good mentors is a very important building block to my career.

Hence, in my opinion, it would be good to establish a mentorship programme where young professionals have the opportunity to connect with prominent industry leaders. A programme like this would allow mentors to share and guide young professionals. Such a platform would also break down barriers and encourage us to seek clearer career progression. I believe this industry needs more prominent role models (like Steve Jobs) to really inspire young professionals.

I recently competed in the 2019 MICE Destination Marketing Contest in Taiwan with a team of fellow students from Berjaya University College. This is an annual contest organised by the Taiwan External Trade and Development Council (TAITRA) for university students all around the world to showcase the culture and MICE landscape of their country.

As team leader, this was a great platform for me to build my communication skills and test my creativity.

Being the overall champion for the past four years meant that we had to challenge ourselves to come up with more innovative ways to present our destination. It was tough, but we managed to take home the top prize again this year at the MICE Destination Marketing Contest in Taipei.

The most enjoyable part of the contest is the friendly rivalry and mutual respect among the participating teams. The competition will always be intense, as each team is under enormous pressure to win.

However, it is important to remember that it is primarily a platform for learning and making new friends.

As I am passionate about designing experiences, I have no doubt that my career lies in the business events industry. I am excited to challenge myself further by taking up managerial responsibilities and in leading interesting projects.

Furthermore, I am keen to develop a mentorship programme with my University so that I can encourage and guide my junior peers in their career development.

I’ve had the good fortune of connecting with key business events players through a recent internship programme, but not everyone has the same opportunities. I can see there is a gap and a need to establish a digital platform where senior students and new graduates can reach out and connect with the good mentors.

Jolyn Soh Kher Shien is a student at Berjaya University College in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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Op in i on I APCO

Thriving in the digital age MCI Dubai’s Alexander John talks relevance, value and growth opportunities.

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hile the digital economy will be the new normal going forward, associations can strategically innovate, accelerate growth and provide great value to their audiences and, in some cases, even the world. Building new markets or reinvigorating existing ones requires revisiting the fundamentals. Here are four recommendations:

While members want to be part of the international collective, being locally relevant is just as important.

Biz Events Asia is a strategic media partner of IAPCO

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Thought leadership In the age of ‘hyper-information’, credibility and reliability become critical. Delivering peer-reviewed and certified content is paramount. Associations should cultivate subject matter experts (SMEs) to strengthen their position and develop industry standards.

SMEs positioned in the right environment (such as in consulting or working with government agencies) help position the association as one that is adding exponential value to the economy.

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) used SMEs as an extension of their brand.

This strategy helped position them as thought leaders and multipliers for government standards programmes. It also helped them grow their revenues and influence as the premier ‘standards’ brand in institutions.

Registered service providers (RSPs) Associations can sell content in various ways.

One is to appoint RSPs to represent the association’s product and become a generator of value and opportunity. Choosing and knowing the strength of a RSP is important

because they not only represent the association but also generate growth by attracting new and renewing existing members. This apporach helped ASQ grow 15 per cent year-on-year in the MENA market.

Growth through academia Associations have a natural affinity with academia as both institutions focus on expanding a body of knowledge. They offer opportunities in R&D and partnering with such institutions adds academic credence.

Academia and universities can offer co-branded certifications, adding industry knowledge and standards to the learning curriculum. Universities may also become RSPs that drive both academic and industry growth.

Build local/regional products While members want to be part of the international collective, being locally relevant is just as important. Defining products, organising local or regional conferences, workshops, and issuing certifications and research give associations local relevance while growing globally.

To reiterate, while digital innovation may be the buzz, content is still king.

Associations embody the knowledge and influence of their industry, and hence must be relevant and valuable in order to grow.

This article was provided by the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO). Alexander John is regional director — business development (India, Middle East & Africa) at MCI Dubai, an IAPCO member.

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FO NE R W 20 20

Brought to you by the most experienced name in MICE exhibitions, IBTM provides a gateway to the Asia Pacific region.

Stay Connected Network with the APAC event community – share knowledge with peers and build key relationships with industry experts

Be Inspired Gain insights from leading event experts with a show floor bustling with innovation and inspiration

Secure Business Meet face to face with leading suppliers that are matched to your business needs. This is your platform to perfect your event.

IBTM Asia Pacific is here to ensure you make your event one not to be missed.

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Partners

Div ersi t y & Incl usi o n

How to create environments of acceptance Diversity and inclusion should be at the top of every meeting agenda. Kim Benjamin outlines steps to ensure all members of the community feel welcome at your events.

People first... IMEX Group launched a diversity and inclusion code of conduct this year to ensure its events were “friendly and open� environments.

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D i v e r s i t y & I nc lusio n

Meet and greet... Interactive pop-ups during IMEX America helped attendees make connections and bolstered a sense of community.

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t this year’s IMEX shows in Germany and the U.S., new features included a genderneutral bathroom, signage at male and female bathrooms reading ‘please use the toilet of the gender you identify with’ and an option for staff to wear pronoun badges.

This is just one example of how the industry is creating environments of acceptance, where all members of the community can feel welcome. David Jefferys is president of Altus agency and executive director of the LGBT Meeting Planners’ Association, which led a session at this year’s IMEX America, looking at acceptance and gender expression in the workplace and beyond. He says diversity and inclusion is a subject matter that has reached the top of everyone’s agenda.

“It’s a major talking point among meeting planners and associations,” he says. “The fact that our [LGBT] association, which recently celebrated its third birthday, has grown at an extraordinary rate reflects this need for inclusivity. To create inclusive events, it always helps to have a ‘meet and

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greet’ networking session, to create an environment where individuals who are diverse and part of the community can gather together. A social event where people can interact goes a long way.”

As well as introducing the aforementioned features, IMEX Group also launched its diversity and inclusion code of conduct at both shows this year, communicating it to attendees via a link in registration badge emails and displaying it at the events.

“It’s important to be clear on the behaviour we expect from anyone at our show, whether they’re attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors or staff,” says Carina Bauer, chief executive of IMEX Group. “We researched and wrote the code in order to ensure our shows remain a friendly and open environment, one that’s harassmentfree.”

Bauer believes that the global nature of the meetings and events industry means that differences should be embraced. While it was not necessary to enforce the code this year, she says that even before having

To create inclusive events, it always helps to have a ‘meet and greet’ networking session.

DAVID JEFFERYS Executive director LGBT Meeting Planners’ Association

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Div ersi t y & Incl usi o n

Credit: https://www.genderavenger.com/tally

No more ‘manels’... GenderAvenger’s GA Tally tool helps keep track of how women are represented at events, and to keep planners accountable.

the code, IMEX has enforced it to a degree — in terms of sometimes needing to remove people who were behaving inappropriately.

People want to see others like themselves on stage and on the exhibition floor.

STEPHANIE SELESNICK President International Trade Information

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Stage presence It’s important to view inclusion on several levels, as Stephanie Selesnick, president of the International Trade Information, outlines. She has worked across the exhibition and event industries in both Asia and the U.S. “Ensure you and your team are open to making all stakeholders — sponsors, exhibitors, visitors — feel welcome,” she says. “If you have a large number of visitors who speak another language, make your signage reflect this. Think too about cultural norms and ensure there are vegetarian options available. Offer mentor/protégé and matchmaking for first- and second-timers to your events — by pairing them up ahead of the event with experienced individuals, it will make them feel more comfortable.”

Selesnick acknowledges that more needs to be done on the diversity front — while we are seeing fewer ‘manels’ (male-only panels), more diversity needs

to be on the stage. “Take a look at your speakers; are they all the same sex, ages, race and titles?” she says. “Unless it’s an executive panel, change things up.

Bring in younger professionals for their input and expertise — people want to see others like themselves on stage and on the exhibition floor.”

GenderAvenger, a platform committed to gender balance, and which strives to ensure female voices are heard, has developed the ‘GA Tally’ tool, which helps keep track of how women and women of colour are represented (or not) in the public sphere. It can help hold event planners and companies accountable as well as share positive examples of gender balance.

“The tally creates an indisputable visual that clearly indicates whether an event is balanced (or not) or whether women are getting equal talk time (or not),” explains GenderAvenger founder Gina Glantz. “The app makes it easy to share the tally on social media or via email, giving not only the creator, but also the creator’s followers, the ability to quickly share their approval or disapproval of a certain event or listing.”

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D i v e r s i t y & I nc lusio n

Food (and drink) for thought When it comes to menus, being diverse and inclusive means that religious affiliations and lifestyle choices need to be taken into account. The onus is on the event planner to listen to what audiences are expecting and to adapt accordingly.

“The complexity with food today is that allergies, religious affiliations and lifestyle directions are now intertwined, sometimes adding up — think vegan plus gluten free, and equally important,” says Marine Debatte, head of events solutions, Asia Pacific at BI Worldwide. “We have an opportunity to feature vegetarian and vegan options as star dishes on our menus: it works with many diets while providing a lower carbon footprint option. There is a mental barrier there but we see more and more partners leading the way.”

Drink options are also under the spotlight. As Debatte points out, just three years ago, not drinking at events was often seen as unacceptable. Fast-forward to 2019, with audiences becoming more health conscious and events gathering all nationalities and religions together, and the non-alcoholic options are not an exception anymore.

“Alcohol brands have understood it — there are many alcohol empires launching non-alcoholic beers,” she says.

“The mindset though must change on this: just like doing a full vegetarian or vegan meal, the mental barrier of removing meat or alcohol will have to be gradually accepted. It will take time before the trend of 20% alcohol-free and 80% alcohol-based is reversed.”

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, don’t be afraid of controversy — diversity of thought matters to the business events industry because everyone’s experience matters.

“For example, C-level executives have a specific knowledge set related to their day-to-day activities, and mid-level managers have a different perspective, having to manage people above and below their positions,” says Selesnick. “Fresh new faces have yet another perspective.

If we are going to survive and thrive in a fast-changing world, sharing only one perspective will guarantee our events will eventually fail.”

Jefferys points to how research has shown that levels of productivity and cultural awareness can also be increased by being more diverse and inclusive.

“There is higher productivity and a greater satisfaction within the workforce, which can lead to more profitable endeavours,” he says. “Diversity matters because people matter.”

The complexity with food today is that allergies, religious affiliations and lifestyle directions are now intertwined.

MARINE DEBATTE Head of events solutions, Asia Pacific BI Worldwide

Inclusive dining... Thoughtful food labels can help to ensure that all attendees feel at ease during cocktail and dining events.

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Global Gathering hits new highs Flight Centre’s annual incentive programme rocks Las Vegas. By Anis Ramli

Bigger and better... cievents deployed a 12-month teaser campaign that engaged FCTG employees and gave sponsors plenty of opportunities to shine.

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very year, some 3,000 top performers of Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) flock to an exciting destination for the Flight Centre Global Gathering (FCGG), the ultimate incentive reward for their endeavours.

FCGG comprises two full days of conferencing — and two nights of partying. Sounds pretty straightforward, but for event management agency cievents, each event must be better than the one before. This July, the heady mix of inspiration and engagement played out in Las Vegas.

The response was phenomenal — 95 per cent of attendees agreed that the event motivated and inspired them to

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perform in their jobs and 95.5 per cent rated the experience highly.

Ideation With a brief to “make the 2019 FCGG even bigger, better and more brilliant than ever before”, cievents began scouting for possible locations and conducting site inspections almost two years in advance.

By the time of the 2018 FCGG in Berlin, Germany, the team was ready to announce the location of the 2019 event — Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. “We created the theme ‘CHOOSE GLOBAL — Raise your odds’ in reference to the destination as well as the call to action. What are you going to do to ensure you get there?” says Cate Carpenter, global

head of marketing, cievents.

A global pre- and post-event communication plan was developed to bring the theme to life and engage employees. Teaser campaigns took the form of online games, sponsor knowledgebased competitions, EDMs and destination merchandise for use in team meetings.

With more than 20,000 staff at FCTG and most having access to Facebook’s Workplace, social media was leveraged to boost excitement for the event. Staff created their own bitmoji and captions for pre-designed comic strips and published them on Facebook with a hashtag to enter the ‘Caption That’ competition.

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C a s e S t ud y F l i gh t Ce n t r e

To ensure the Global Gathering remains special and fresh each year, Carpenter says everyone has to be on board. “We push boundaries with FCTG’s total support…The board continues to approve investment in this incentive because they believe it has significantly contributed to consistent growth and profit results.”

She adds: “At the same time, we are blessed with an amazingly dynamic team of creatives who constantly look for new ways to engage an audience and create a spectacular event that everyone aspires to be a part of — and we mean everyone — delegates, sponsors, and cievents crew as well.”

Execution Working closely with sponsors was important and their generous contributions were acknowledged through sponsor activations and lots of giveaways.

Carpenter notes: “Along with FCTG’s financial investment, sponsorship investments make up a significant part of the overall budget for this event. In return, sponsors are looking for optimal networking opportunities and high visibility.

“Our team includes a sponsor-liaison manager to ensure sponsors’ logistical requirements are met and their content is fresh and engaging.” cievents worked out a 12-month campaign leading up to the event to ensure sponsors had plenty of opportunities to shine through original and themeappropriate activities before and during the event.

There were three central event venues at MGM — a poolside venue, a theatre that had just hosted Aerosmith, and a pillarless ballroom.

A water-themed, pool-side festival named H2OH! kicked off the excitement — it was the perfect welcome reception to counter the 43-degree celsius heat of the day. Glam bars were set up alongside cash grab machines, ‘Elvis’ in a chapel, spin and win, slushies, silent disco, branded bars and more.

Everything was done over-the-top with emcees arriving on motorbikes; 2Dand 3D-animated projection map lighting up a 70-metre proscenium; a live band on stage and popular stars like actor Mark

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Wahlberg, singer Calvin Harris, deejay Diplo and comedian Iliza Shlesinger making appearances.

Handling 3,500 FCTG staff presented logistical challenges, too.

The large number of attendees meant challenges with airline seat capacity and hotel room numbers. This was overcome by chartering aircraft and building remote check-in areas at the hotels.

Another critical issue was the short registration period — half of the attendees qualified for the incentive just two weeks before the event.

“The management of flights, accommodation, transfers and communications thus required a very focused and tight turnaround.

Attendees came from around the globe, so we were dealing with different time zones and cultures,” says Carpenter.

She adds: “We have been managing this event for many years now and in each location, we have had to work very

Lessons learnt Teaser campaigns and destination merchandise can boost excitement

Appoint a ‘sponsor liaison’ to ensure activations are delivered on time

Unite global teams around a central event theme

closely with suppliers, educating them on logistics procedures that have proven the most effective.

“Other challenges were bad weather and extensive flight cancellations but we have effective plans in place and a team that is focused on managing these.”

Viva Las Vegas... More than 95 per cent of attendees rated the experience highly.

The board continues to approve investment in this incentive because they believe it has significantly contributed to consistent growth and profit results.

CATE CARPENTER Global head of marketing Cievents

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DISASTER PR How to overcome media hype in times of crisis and why some destinations ‘bounce back’ faster than others. By Lauren Arena

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he business of events, like any business, does not occur in a vacuum. So, when anti-government protests broke out in Hong Kong in June, organisers of the Global Wellness Summit (GWS), due to take place in the city in October, started to worry.

GWS chief creative officer and executive director, Nancy Davis, says she and the team were in ‘watch and wait’ mode until mass protests caused the Hong Kong Airport to shut down on 13 August.

“At that point, we knew we had to get our house in order,” Davis says. “With 500 delegates from more than 50 countries expected to attend, we knew something had to happen, or we could risk cancellation.” Two days later, GWS announced the location of the three-day event would be moved from Hong Kong to Singapore.

In the statement, GWS leadership said the shift in location was important for the “collective wellbeing of everyone involved” and to ensure ease of travel.

“It was a heart-breaking decision,” Davis explains. “But, in the end, we made the right decision at the right time. Thanks to our partners at Hyatt, we were able to pivot the event seamlessly to Singapore.”

With two months to plan, the three-day summit took place at the Grand Hyatt Singapore, as originally scheduled, on 15-17 October, with positive feedback from delegates.

“We all live and work in a global world and things happen that are beyond our control,” Davis says. “It’s important to be agile, keep an ear to the ground and, most importantly, work with partners who think like you do.”

Media hype around the political crisis in Hong Kong (which has been dragging on for more than five months) was another contributing factor behind the decision to relocate GWS 2019.

“It’s a huge issue,” says Davis. “This was a top news story around the world and, even though we had boots on the ground monitoring the situation

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in Hong Kong, our delegates expressed safety concerns.”

GWS is one of several corporate meetings and incentives that have been delayed or transferred — largely to Thailand, Singapore and Macau.

Meantime, a series of major events like the Hong Kong Tennis Open, Hong Kong Cyclothon, and Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival have been cancelled. The 2020 Hong Kong Formula E-Prix, scheduled for March, has also been removed from the racing calendar.

The numbers don’t look good. Arrivals at Hong Kong’s international airport in August fell nearly 40 per cent year-on-year, retail sales plunged a record 23 per cent, and hotel occupancy has reportedly plummeted to 20 per cent.

In September, Hong Kong hotelier, Girish Jhunjhnuwala, founder and CEO of Ovolo Group, issued an SOS to government, asking for assistance during the economic downturn.

“It’s devastating to see the effect that the recent situation in our city has had on local businesses, particularly those of us in the hospitality industry,” he said in a statement.

Amid ongoing media hype, industry leaders worry about the long-term impact to Hong Kong’s reputation as a regional business hub.

Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKECIA) chairman, Stuart Bailey, says sensationalist news agendas are painting an inaccurate picture of Hong Kong.

“International media either report that there are violent protests or they report nothing,” he says.

In an effort to overcome this, HKECIA recently produced a series of videos with positive testimonials from both buyers and sellers at events such as the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair (September).

“The exhibition market in Hong Kong has been weathering the storm remarkably well,” Bailey says.

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Difficult decision... Two months ahead of its scheduled October date, organisers of the Global Wellness Summit moved the 2019 event from Hong Kong to Singapore.

“Although overall attendance might be down, the main buyers are still coming to fairs to place their orders… and organisers have been working hard to overcome the perception that Hong Kong isn’t safe by throwing all of their resources at the problem.”

In the lead-up to the Jewellery & Gem Fair, organiser Informa Markets offered a slew of incentives (including 10,000 complimentary hotel room nights for buyers), and activated a telemarketing campaign with staff members contacting 40,000 past attendees.

Following bad press, Hong Kong Marketing Society chair Darren Chuckry says fear is another major hurdle for event professionals and brand marketers.

“Fear if they hold an event it might be disrupted. Fear if they say the wrong thing it can hurt their business. Fear that they don’t have a clear understanding of how the city will resolve its issues,” he says.

“However, it is always the successful companies who take action in times of distress that can reap large rewards. With every door that slams shut, two more open up. While the city is facing one of its worst crises, now is the time for marketers to move forward and take calculated risks. Keep the spirit alive.”

Not all bad news The Great Entertainment Group (GEG) recently ran the Societe Generale’s Rugby World Cup 2019 Fanzone at the Hong Kong Observation Wheel and AIA Vitality Park. The 44-day activation (20 September to 2 November) featured live match screenings, F&B and music, rugby panels and children’s activities.

GEG executive chairman, Michael Denmark, says the event was a huge success. “It was a unique experience for everyone involved. The unrest in Hong Kong is a topic on everybody’s lips and we’re not hiding from it. In fact, this event provided a platform to discuss and feel safe.”

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He adds: “There seems to be clear distinction between brands that are keen to push through the crisis and those that want to wait and see. Some hide under the duvet until next year, while others burn the duvet down. It’s a fascincating time to do business.”

Other success stories include a 3,000-strong Indonesian incentive programme that took place across August and September. The Hong Kong Electronics Fair went off without a hitch in October, attracting nearly 67,000 buyers from 141 countries and regions.

After more than 20 years in Hong Kong, Denmark says it’s an incredibly resilient market and it can “switch back to a semblance of normality quite quickly”.

GEG also produces the annual AIA Great European Carnival, and plans for the family-friendly event (taking place from mid-December to mid-February 2020) are “full steam ahead”.

Several major conferences are also set to go ahead as planned, including RISE 2020, touted as a the largest tech show in Asia (30 March to 2 April); and the International Urban Sketchers Symposium (8-11 April).

“If we don’t keep the city moving forward with activities and live events, then fear will continue to cripple the city,” Chuckry says.

While many event planners and government agencies may be pre-occupied with current challenges, Chuckry insists this is the perfect time to mobilise teams that are dedicated to rebuilding ‘Brand Hong Kong’. “This should include setting up an Entertainment and Events Association that can make it easy for outside companies and event planners to look to Hong Kong as a great destination,” he says. “We need to get better at welcoming all visitors to our Gateway city.”

As the crisis drags on, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has remained relatively quiet.

Speaking to Biz Events Asia, a HKTB spokesperson says the organisation has “maintained close communication with

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Success stories... GEG ran the Rugby World Cup 2019 Fanzone throughout September and October, and leveraged the event as a platform for safe discussion.

MICE groups in Hong Kong”, offering regular updates and assistance. It has also rolled out a series of support measures for the industry, including waiving participation fees for local operators looking to join HKTB on external trade fairs and travel missions from 1 October 2019 to 31 March 2020.

However, at the recent ITB Asia event in Singapore (16-18 October), Hong Kong was noticeably absent.

The HKTB spokesperson said: “Later on, at an appropriate time, HKTB will join hands with the travel trade to launch a large-scale promotion campaign in different source markets, in which we will also promote the edges of Hong Kong as a MICE destination.”

In the meantime, we believe positive action is the best way to rebuild market confidence, together with proactive and transparent communication. Further lessons can be gleaned from other meeting and event destinations that have weathered the (media) storm following a crisis.

Bangkok, Thailand The Kingdom earned its ‘nothing-sticks’ reputation time and again in the past decade. Despite a military coup, bomb blasts and the threat of Zika virus in recent years, ‘Teflon Thailand’ remains incredibly resilient. According to Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) senior vice president for business, Nichapa Yoswee, the secret to overcoming adversity is an agile mindset.

“We cannot prevent man-made or natural disaster, so we have to be prepared with the proper mindset,” she says. “We have learnt many lessons from our past experiences — and sometimes it takes a tough lesson in order to grow. We have certain standards and structural guidelines in place, which our key stakeholders can tap into in the event of a crisis.”

Following the 2015 Erawan Shrine bombing in Bangkok and a series of terror attacks in tourism hotspots in 2016, TCEB moved fast to release statements that examined the

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situation on the ground, and outlined the heightened security measures that had taken effect. The bureau also worked hand-in-hand with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to set up a ‘war room’ to coordinate a response amid ongoing media hype, and provide regular updates to industry.

“It’s important to be honest because the world is watching,” Yoswee says. “Everyone hears one side of the story from the media so it’s our role and responsibility to tell the other side of the story — what really happens, what we’re doing, and what to expect in the future.

“Media hype can offer great opportunity. It’s not a threat. As a CVB, we have to be ready to ride the wave of opportunity. Instead of waiting for media to break the news, we would rather be upfront with our comms strategy and deliver the message directly.”

And when it comes to crisis communication, simplicity is best. “Messaging must be straight to the point, factual and timely,” Yoswee says. “This is where in-market representatives can help to tell the world what is really happening, and really become country ambassadors.”

Yoswee says the unique structure of TCEB (which reports directly to the Thai prime minister), allows the bureau to be proactive.

“Despite the fact that we might be bound by rules, regulations, procedures and red tape, we are flexible enough to come up with certain quick-win strategies, especially in terms of communication. We’re currently establishing platforms where the private sector can better engage and collaborate with government.”

Media hype can offer great opportunity.

NICHAPA YOSWEE Senior vice president, business TCEB

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Cape Town, South Africa In January 2018, when officials in Cape Town announced that the city of four million people was three months away from running out of municipal water, the world was stunned.

Following a period of severe drought, local officials started a countdown to ‘Day Zero’ to encourage residents to save water.

Photos of parched-earth dams and residents lining up to collect water splashed across the media, spreading fear that Cape Town would run out of water.

“The media hype surrounding the water crisis had a direct effect on the industry, especially on international arrivals and the incentive travel market,” says Corne Koch, head of the Cape Town & Western Cape Convention Bureau.

By using the same messaging, the destination was able to mobilise a quick response.

CORNE KOCH Head Cape Town & Western Cape Convention Bureau

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“It mostly affected meetings that would be taking place at the peak of one of the worst droughts that the destination has experienced in the past 100 years. [During this time] the bureau recorded lower delegate numbers and some cancellations.”

To overcome negative perceptions, the region’s overarching tourism, trade and investment promotion agency, Wesgro (of which the bureau is a member), drove a communications plan with regular updates to the travel trade and the business events industry.

“This was a concerted effort,” Koch says. “By using the same messaging, the destination was able to mobilise a quick response to the negative perceptions about the drought.”

This included a collaborative approach between tourism stakeholders and membership bodies, as well as the private and public sector.

“The message was clear that although there is a drought, by visiting the province a tourist or delegate would help sustain much-needed jobs.”

Local operators also used this as a chance to educate the market around the water restrictions and how corporate clients could assist — essentially turning a PR disaster into a CSR opportunity.

“We educated delegates in Cape Town about how they could save water and contribute,” says Daryl Keywood, managing director and CEO at Walther — Destination Business Solutions Africa.

“You can’t fight the press by denying anything. You have to educate. Tell the true story over and over and often enough that it gets picked up [in the media].”

Following recent rainfall, dams in Cape Town are now at the highest levels they have been in years. As part of the city’s resilience strategy, Cape Town will host the W12 Future of Water Conference in January 2020, the first international meeting of cities facing a ‘Day Zero’ water scenario.

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Going viral... London & Partners launched the #LondonIsOpen campaign within hours of the Brexit vote, which resulted in an increase in event enquiries.

London, UK The results of the 2016 Brexit vote shocked the world, but nowhere more so than in London, where 60 per cent of people voted to remain as a member of the European Union.

“We knew we had to move fast because that shockwave would have gone all over the place,” explains Tracy Halliwell, director of tourism, conventions and major events at the city’s official promotional agency, London & Partners. “The last thing we wanted was for people to feel that the doors were shut and they were not allowed to come to London.”

Having advance notice of the referendum, the bureau was prepared with a number of options and within hours of the Brexit vote, they launched the #LondonIsOpen on social media.

The message was simple, but significant — appealing to a broad cross-section of industries. But the master stroke, according to Halliwell, was the support of London Mayor, Saqid Khan.

“We had quite a few messages up our sleeves, but the fact that he picked it up and shared it with his social media network meant that it exploded. It went viral overnight,” she says.

London & Partners then reached out to stakeholders in the business events industry, encouraging them to join the campaign simply by posting messages with the #LondonIsOpen tag.

“Everybody wanted to do something to get their message out, and we gave them a vehicle,” says Halliwell.

By creating a united brand message, London & Partners was able to turn a potential threat into an opportunity.

Within six months, the #LondonIsOpen campaign resulted in a 41 per cent rise in enquiries and won the 2016 ICCA Best Marketing Award at the 55th ICCA Congress in Kuching, Malaysia.

The campaign has since continued, nuanced with stories for particular target markets. As the Brexit debate persists, so too do London & Partners’ efforts to rise above the noise and promote the city as being open for business.

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“We’re now very much aware that regional reputation is a huge part of how we market ourselves as a destination,” Halliwell says. “It’s not just about how much product you’ve got. It’s about state of mind and how people perceive you.

So, we’ve developed a platform called London’s Global Good News Room, where we share daily stories through WhatsApp to a community of global ambassadors.

“We keep them informed so they can amplify the message… We learnt a long time ago that it’s not about what we say. It’s about what other people say about us.”

We learnt that it’s not about what we say. It’s about what other people say about us.

TRACY HALLIWELL Director of tourism, conventions & major events London & Partners

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Istanbul, Turkey Following the 2016 attack on Ataturk Airport, Turkey’s business events industry suffered. Eda Özden, director of business development at MEP Destination Business Solutions, says the effects are still being felt, but persistence pays off.

“The hardest thing at a time of crisis is to foresee how long it will last and what amount of action is necessary,” she says. “Our learning has been that while overreacting is a risk, underreacting is harder to manage later on.”

As a result, Özden diversified her business and, unlike many of her competitors, she didn’t stop ‘selling’ Turkey as a destination for meetings and events at industry trade shows.

“Do not pull back. The first time you get in front of people, you might get pity looks, the second time some interest and the third an RFP,” she says. “Most issues, be they natural or man made, subside sooner or later. And those businesses that keep their heads above water are the ones that prevail.”

Cost-effective marketing solutions, like social media advertising and investing in SEO (search engine optimisation) have also proven beneficial. “These are relatively cheap yet hugely effective ways to remain on people’s radars.”

As well as maintaining market presence, Özden, who is also a board member of the Society of Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), leveraged media hype as an opportunity to speak candidly on panels about security and risk management, which helped raise her professional profile, as well as that of the company and the destination.

“Sugarcoating is an issue that I regard as a serious fault. Our clients are worldly, they will only believe us if we are genuine. Instead of delving into [geopolitical] issues, we focused on how prepared we are to deal with anything that may arise.”

Together with the support of larger local players, like Turkish Airlines, Özden says her long-term strategy is now bearing fruit, but the battle against negative perception continues.

“Turkey remains a part of the Middle East havoc — and unfairly so. Our destinations are depicted as exotic yet unstable, interesting yet ambitious,” she says.

“This is a people’s business and people have emotional reactions. Once a destination is deemed safe by foreign offices, famil trips are essential to win back the meetings and events market.”

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While overreacting is a risk, underreacting is harder to manage later on.

EDA ÖZDEN Business development director MEP

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Bali, Indonesia

Destination recovery

Looming large over the Indonesian island, Mount Agung erupted five times in late November 2017 — causing thousands to evacuate, disrupting air travel and causing environmental damage. The active volcano has erupted several times since (most recently in May 2019), sending plumes of smoke in the air and temporarily interrupting international flights.

Inbound meeting and incentive business was affected immediately following the 2017 eruptions, but Jean-Charles Le Coz, general manager of Hotel Nikko Bali Benoa Beach and marketing director of the Bali Hotels Association, says in a world that has become accustomed to disruption, business bounced back quickly.

“Consumers react quickly and come back, as long as what was perceived as a threat is gone (or ironically has been replaced by worse or more visible news from other destinations),” he says.

So when it comes to re-engaging the market, Le Coz, like MEP’s Özden, says persistence is key.

“The market comes back. So, really what is needed is to keep a positive attitude. Try to think about the challenges visitors may face so that they can feel and see that you are ready to welcome them.”

Instead, the biggest challenge faced by service providers in Bali is the issue of insurance in an increasingly VUCA environment.

“We have not yet found the best solution as most insurance companies just flatly refuse to cover this type of natural disaster from a customer perspective.”

He adds: “Insurance companies need to do their job, which is to insure, and not hide behind big words like force majeure.”

And in the absence of a dedicated convention bureau, Bali’s private sector does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to crisis management, industry engagement and destination marketing.

“I wish more cooperation [with government] would be sought in order to achieve much better results for the destination.”

According to SITE chief marketing officer, Pádraic Gilligan, the crucial thing in post-crisis destination marketing is to stay active in the market. “It’s better to be present in the market even with a sad story than to disappear and not have any story at all,” he says.

“The recent Incentive Travel Industry Index pointed to the primacy of relationships along the incentive travel channel — it’s the stand-out reason why business is placed in destination A instead of destination B. For this reason, the last thing a destination should do is abandon the marketplace.”

For Milton Rivera, vice president, global business development & strategy at American Express Global Business Travel, the biggest question that both attendees and organisers have in the wake of a crisis is the context around the situation, and how it will be resolved.

“In the past, we’ve seen rushed communication plans result in either an overload of information or lack of communication which creates confusion for attendees,” he says.

“Instances that occur due to conflict or unrest within a country are harder and slower to recover from, as attendees may need reassurance that the internal tensions are being dealt with. Through education around these events, cities can recover.”

He adds: “The pre-existing conditions and how established cities are prior to a crisis determine their viability as a destination following an incident.

London, Paris and New York City are top-tier business destinations whereas newer destinations that are not as established are more impacted by perceptions of risk.”

Once a crisis is resolved, Rivera says restoring confidence involves a coordinated response from all stakeholders across industry, government and services.

“Outreach from these agencies is key in regaining trust. Being proactive in rebuilding relationships with your strong inbound destinations will be hugely beneficial in staying top of mind for meetings and events.”

It’s better to be present in the market even with a sad story than to disappear and not have any story at all.

PÁDRAIC GILLIGAN Chief marketing officer SITE

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e2i Par tne r Conte nt

How to improve

workplace productivity e2i’s tailor-made programmes help SMEs in the business events industry boost productivity and share the gains with employees.

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he business of events is fastpaced and highly competitive.

To keep up, and meet everchanging client needs, event companies (both large and small) must have a team of qualified individuals with a diverse set of skills.

Along with greater efficiency, new ways of working must also be adopted to allow for greater flexibility and inclusivity in the workplace. But, implementing and maintaining new processes is not always easy.

To overcome this, the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), an initiative of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) in Singapore, helps companies in the business events industry kick-start productivity projects so that

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employees can focus on higher-value activities. In doing so, e2i also encourages progressive employment practices, such as job redesign, age management practices and flexible work arrangements.

Recently, e2i worked with events fabrication and production company, 8 Ink Media Pte Ltd, to optimise workflow processes, upskill employees and improve operational output.

The challenge 8 Ink Media focuses on printing customised event backdrops, banners and exhibition booths. Production staff use a variety of hand tools and small machines to manually shape and produce props, stands and custom-designed partitions.

The fabrication process, from drawing

to cutting material, is all done ‘free hand’ and therefore is rather time consuming.

This affects the overall production timeline when the company receives multiple projects.

On top of this, 8 Ink Media also faced challenges in hiring part-time talent with the necessary carpentry skills.

The solution To overcome the shortage of manpower and streamline the production process, e2i supported 8 Ink Media in the implementation of a CNC Router Machine, CNC Laser Cutting Machine and a 3D Printer. This new equipment gave the production team the ability to cut almost any type of material, with a computerised system that not only

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e 2 i Part n e r Con t e n t

improved the pace of output, but also improved accuracy and consistency.

As a result, production time was reduced by 90 per cent, and the entire process streamlined, therefore eliminating the need to hire part-time talent during peak seasons.

Frankie Chua, managing director at 8 Ink Media, says thanks to e2i, the application and submission process for funding was efficient and stress-free.

“The overall experience was very smooth and proved beneficial to the company. e2i’s productivity programmes aid SMEs like us who have challenges setting aside funds to invest in new equipment that improves productivity.”

He adds: “Aside from funding, e2i also helped to train our senior workers so

that they can acquire new skills and have the confidence to use new technology.

“Hands-on training and assistance is critical when it comes to productivity improvements, especially in our line of work, where production staff operate machinery. A well-planned training guide can also provide assurance to employees and aid in their learning curve.”

The future Besides optimising the production process, 8 Ink Media’s new equipment will ensure work is made safer and easier.

As such, senior team members will no longer be required to use hand tools to individually cut out designs. Instead, they will be trained to design and create props using the 3D printer.

This will not only equip the team with new skills to make their work easier and smarter, but also lessen the probability of workplace accidents.

Following this implementation process, Chua says that he hopes to attract more senior members of the community to work in the business events industry.

A well-planned training guide can also provide assurance to employees and aid in their learning curve.

FRANKIE CHUA Managing director 8 Ink Media

Tailor-made approach... e2i works with SMEs to implement new ways of working that boost productivity and upskill employees.

e2i helps event companies kick-start productivity projects, and encourages businesses to implement progressive employment practices, such as job redesign, age management practices and flexible work arrangements.

If you are interested in partnering with e2i on manpower and productivity solutions, visit https://e2i.com.sg/i-represent-a-business/ to find out more.

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A sso ci at i ons Im pact

Advocating legacy Legacy initiatives can help demonstrate the ‘beyond tourism’ benefits of meetings, potentially delivering considerably more than an economic boost. By Kim Benjamin

Incredible impact... International AIDS Society provides conference scholarships that offer recipients access to an informed global network of HIV professionals.

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Making a difference to local communities, transforming perceptions in a particular destination, sharing knowledge and driving cultural change are just some of the ways events can have a lasting impact. Legacy initiatives within the meetings and events industry can help demonstrate the ‘beyond tourism’ benefits of meetings, potentially delivering considerably more than an economic boost or improvements in infrastructure.

BestCities Global Alliance runs the Incredible Impacts programme together with ICCA. Now in its third

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year, the programme recognises association conferences that have made a lasting impression with regard to legacy, diversity and accessibility. Winners are also rewarded with a grant towards future projects.

“Initiatives like Incredible Impacts give associations a platform to demonstrate their added value; through their conferences, they can increase awareness of a disease or change government policy, and this helps with member retention and attracting new members,” says BestCities managing director Paul Vallee.

This year’s winners include European Lung Foundation (ELF), International AIDS Society (IAS) and IPSCAN — the

International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.

European Lung Foundation and Healthy Lungs for Life ELF’s Healthy Lungs for Life event, established in 2014 by the ELF and European Respiratory Society (ERS), aims to educate the public on lung disease and prevention. The two-day event is held during the annual ERS International Congress.

For ELF chair Isabel Saraiva, a large event like the ERS annual conference gives the association a unique opportunity to talk to the public about lung health.

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A s s o c i a t i o ns I m p a c t

“Awareness of the importance of lung health is low — although breathing is the most important thing that we do — and so an opportunity to reach out to people who didn’t attend the congress and in collaboration with the [host] city is fantastic,” she says. “Even though our event lasts a couple of days, we hope that collaboration with local partners will ensure that the effects last much longer.”

An inclusive approach to the event is also vital. With lung disease disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable, the ERS actively encourages children, families, older people, those with health conditions and those from disadvantaged backgrounds to get involved.

To create a meaningful legacy, Saraiva believes it’s important to work with a range of stakeholders — those who are engaged and who can connect with the local community and others who can ensure efforts continue after the event has passed and ‘left’ the city.

“By engaging people in interactive activities like having a free lung test, we make sure that everyone knows how important lung health is, and how they can protect themselves,” she says. “We also emphasise the importance of clean air, and hold press conferences to encourage even more people to stop smoking, be active, get vaccinated and breathe clean air.”

In the future, Saraiva hopes to continue promoting the campaign in multiple ways, for example by awarding grants to other organisations who would like to run their own event.

“We hope that this will help to keep lung health in the spotlight around the world so that more people can have healthy lungs for life,” she says.

International AIDS Society The IAS hosts a range of HIV conferences, including the International AIDS Conference, IAS Conference on HIV Science and HIV Research for Prevention Conference. It aims to ensure conference scholarships are accessible to participants from resource-limited settings, such as junior investigators, young people, key and vulnerable populations, activists, healthcare workers, civil society representatives and the media.

These scholarships provide opportunities for recipients to access an

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Outreach... ELF's Healthy Lungs for Life event aims to educate the public on lung disease and prevention.

informed global network of professionals working at all levels of the HIV response.

“Legacy initiatives are important because they highlight, in one concentrated moment, the societal impact or change one event can have on the course of, in this instance, an epidemic,” says Emily T Blitz, director of conferences at the IAS. “This ranges from how people living with HIV are perceived to how you can address stigma when the eyes of the world are watching. IAS conferences contribute to this movement and help debunk myths by bringing the science of HIV to the fore.”

Blitz adds that the IAS has created lasting legacies in host countries for more than two decades. One example is AIDS 2012, held in Washington DC, when the United States agreed to lift its 22-year travel ban that prevented people with HIV from entering the country.

Legacy initiatives are important because they highlight, in one concentrated moment, the societal impact or change one event can have.

EMILY T BLITZ Director of conferences International AIDS Society

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A sso ci at i ons Im pact

Empowering local communities... ISPCAN's Jamaica congress resulted in 100 new Caribbean members who now have access to resources that help combat child abuse.

People wear multiple hats and events can make them think about a [wider] community issue.

PRAGATHI TUMMALA Executive director ISPCAN

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ISPCAN ISPCAN’s winning event — its Caribbean congress in Jamaica — sought input from young people in the region as well as highlighted the experiences of abuse survivors from the Caribbean.

The immediate impact of the ISPCAN conference was the addition of 100 members, who now have access to resources to help them combat child abuse.

“The conference also emboldened local agencies and members of the public to call for government action to address the issues through policy changes, which have since been signed into law in Jamaica,” says Best Cities’ Vallee.

ISPCAN’s legacy plan aims to help regions hosting the congress to consider not just sharing knowledge, but also educating communities, influencing policy

and government priorities and changing systems of care for child abuse and neglect.

Pragathi Tummala, executive director at the association, believes legacy initiatives need to be front of mind. People who attend events, such as the media and community, can help to attract others who are pillars of their community and can influence real change.

“People wear multiple hats and events can make them think about a [wider] community issue,” she says. “You need multiple vantage points in order to problem-solve anything with real and lasting solutions, as well as to find funding and support for initiatives. It is important to involve as many people as possible if you want [the event] to be successful.”

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Plan your 2020 vision.

Our pulses are racing already. We’re thrilled because in September 2020, IMEX America returns to Sands Expo for the milestone 10th edition of our ever-evolving industry showcase. Save the dates now, so we can share this incredible chance to blaze new trails, create and deepen bonds, and savor all of our successes.

Register your interest at imexamerica.com

The heartbeat of the global business events community

M&I Toolkit s ection sp o nso r

The new event objective is wellness Accor’s Kerry Healy says holistic wellness in events starts with self-care.

T Time for rest, rejuvenation and reflection is just as important as a multi-sensory ‘wow’ moment.

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he impact of neuroscience on event design is a growing trend — both globally and in the Asia-Pacific region.

In recent years, we’ve applied key components of neuroscience to our event operations without consciously labelling our efforts. Whether it is through exclusive resort buy-outs or sophisticated brand activations that acquire ‘irrational loyalty’, our hotels have experience fulfilling this trend.

Our customers demand progressive event design. They want onsite dining and event experiences that engage delegates’ emotions. And in the era of personalisation, engagement must now occur on an individual level. With that in mind, we know that people are drawn to environments that motivate them to take care of themselves first.

Accor Asia Pacific was a principal partner for a major event in Singapore recently. In addition to morning walks and yoga sessions, the event curator gave delegates a daily two-hour break before dinner to rest their minds. That gesture was well-received, especially by longhaul delegates, who could take time to settle further into Singapore’s time zone and climate. Along with delegates, the organising committee and event operation associates also benefited from the break physically and mentally.

What we noticed was that delegates do not need to be ‘wowed’ by fireworks at every stage during a multi-day event programme.

Time for rest, rejuvenation and reflection is just as important as a multi-sensory ‘wow’ moment. As such, we design break-out spaces with indoor plants (it has been scientifically proven that natural environments can reduce stress, increase productivity and boost creativity) and some of our hotels have already started offering themed catering breaks that promote wellness.

Accor is at the forefront of food and beverage excellence. Our teams gather at our annual Food and Beverage Academy curated for this region to learn and experience the latest culinary trends that benefit our customers.

At this year’s academy, we hosted a panel of business event leaders who shared the importance of wellness and social impact. For events, this means being more proactively mindful at every stage of the planning process — from sourcing sustainable, local produce to producing plant-based event menus.

As 2019 draws to a close, we hope you take time to care for yourselves first. Once you are taken care of and you appreciate the benefits of self-wellness, your delegates may in turn benefit from your event design intentions that are infused with wellness.

Kerry Healy is vice president of sales, Asia Pacific, at Accor.

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M&I Toolkit

The science of engagement Tap into neuroscience, psychology and behavioural science to create experiential events.

By Kim Benjamin

Experiential design... At Xerocon 2019 in Brisbane, INVNT created festival-inspired activations and immersive learning to keep attendees engaged.

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M &I Toolkit

E

vents aim to change or influence an audience’s behaviour — to make participants know, think, feel or do something. Achieving this means knowing how behaviour works and how different stimuli can generate different responses from an audience. It stands to reason then why many event planners should incorporate psychology — the scientific study of thought and behaviour — when planning and executing their events.

“Psychology is everything to events; we are an industry whose output, whose product is entirely human-based,” says Kevin White, chief strategist and founder of agency XPL. “Psychology is just one of a wide collection of sciences that looks at how humans interact, behave and move through the world. It teaches us about human behaviour, how we make choices, what helps us remember, emotional cues that tie us to people and how we perceive others. All of these inform experiential design.”

As Victoria Matey, co-founder of Matey Events, outlines, there are a whole range of specific sciences planners can benefit from, such as cognitive psychology, social psychology, neuroscience and behavioural science. Applying a mix of disciplines to event planning/design is something she refers to as ‘event psychology’.

“Science-based tools work on a deeper level, engaging some core psychological mechanisms common to all of us, and therefore they are most efficient,” says Matey.

For example, neuromarketing tools such as electroencephalography (EEG), galvanic skin response, and eye-tracking are frequently used to measure people’s reactions to products or services, as part of a sampling event.

As a starting point when looking to incorporate psychology into events, XPL’s White suggests identifying what people need to remember from the event for it to be effective, and then working emotion into those moments.

“We get so lost in data and content that we forget the impact that emotional response has on people,” he says. “A powerful story can have a far greater impact than the most crucial data when getting people to act, shift their thinking or make a choice.”

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Scents and sensibility... Scent can trigger memories (top); while brain food keeps attendees alert.

Raimond Torrents, CEO at Events Management Institute, carried out research with a team of nine psychologists over a period of a year, looking at how psychology can help create more influential events.

When looking to tap into areas such as attention, emotion and memory, he says it is important to distinguish two different levels.

“Attention, memory and perception are cognitive processes, the result of a reaction to external stimuli based mostly on emotions,” he says. “Emotions make audience’s brains react and memory or attention may be

stimulated by these emotions. Emotional stimuli are the most direct way to interact with behaviour. Human beings make most of their decisions based on emotions and if we want to influence attitudes or behaviours we have to deal with this kind of emotional stimuli.”

He adds that emotional communication is the most effective way to be relevant to an audience’s brain and, consequently, to make them react in a certain way.

“If we have planned this reaction from the audience in advance, then it is very

Psychology is everything to events; we are an industry whose output, whose product is entirely human-based.

KEVIN WHITE Chief strategist and founder XPL

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M&I Toolkit

probable that the event will accomplish its objectives,” he says.

The science of laughter can also be the best medicine for events. This year’s IMEX event in the U.S. hosted a ‘laughter lab’, incorporating ‘laughter yoga’ techniques, where giggles were combined with deep breathing and relaxation. Sarah Routman, founder of Laugh Healthy, ran the session and says that research indicates that when we make eye contact and share laughter with someone, we are much more likely to share honest things about ourselves.

The laughter lab uses theories embedded in psychology to help deal with stressful moments.

“We start by sharing eye contact and smiling. This sends endorphins to our brains, making us feel better and taking away our stress hormones,” says Routman. “In addition, the smiling often leads to spontaneous laughter. Since you cannot physiologically laugh and be angry at the same time, laughter can be a wonderful tool among staff members who are feeling stress throughout the [event] planning process.”

While not everyone might feel comfortable in such a session, Routman says that even if there are those who don’t participate fully, laughter is contagious, so

one can reap some of the benefits even with limited participation.

“Like anything else you want to do well, learning to laugh on purpose can take practice,” she says. “Go with the flow, don’t judge yourself. Try to laugh a little bit every day, working your way up to longer, deeper laughter. And remember, you don’t have to have a sense of humour or even think you deserve to laugh.”

It’s important to remember that any approach to using science needs to be done with care. As Matey cautions, while event psychology tools are very efficient, they are not a magic pill.

“They are able to make a huge difference but only if applied correctly and if every other step in ensuring the event experience is up to the standards required is made,” she says.

Don’t assume either that one event will be able to make a needle move drastically on an audience. Effective change often occurs over several events, when a more lasting impact can be achieved.

“Tread lightly too on what can be seen as ‘accepted science’,” says XPL’s White. “It’s great if you saw an article on the internet that tells you why teens can be moody. But if you are to be accurate in your scientific foundations, check sources and look for corroboration.”

Laughter can be a wonderful tool among staff members who are feeling stress throughout the [event] planning process.

SARAH ROUTMAN Founder Laugh Healthy

The best medicine... Laughter can be an effective way to de-stress, and this year’s IMEX America hosted a Laughter Lab that included laughter yoga.

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A d v erto ria l

Galaxy International Convention Center to open in Macau Galaxy Entertainment Group raises the bar with ultimate integrated resort and MICE destination set to open in the first half of 2021.

Go big or go home... Galaxy International Convention Center (above) will house the Galaxy Arena (top right), and Convention Hall banquet set-up (bottom right).

O

pening in the first half of 2021, Galaxy International Convention Center (GICC) is the new MICE venue developed by Galaxy Entertainment Group, and the latest addition to the group’s integrated resort precinct in Macau.

Accommodating events of all sizes, GICC is a multi-purpose venue located within the Galaxy Resorts (Macau) Precinct — one of the world’s largest integrated resort destinations.

GICC is equipped with immersive technology, state-of-the-art audiovisual and flexible spaces, where the dedicated EVENT STUDIO team of event professionals creates bespoke experiences.

The complex will also house the 16,000seat Galaxy Arena, ideal for concerts and largescale events.

The sprawling entertainment and event complex will incorporate a luxury lifestyle

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hotel with more than 700 rooms and several dining options, while integrating seamlessly with Macau’s largest collection of luxury hotel brands under one roof — The Ritz-Carlton Macau, Banyan Tree Macau, JW Marriott Hotel Macau, Hotel Okura Macau, Galaxy Hotel™ and Broadway Hotel.

GICC will mark a turning point for venues in the business events industry, with access to 1.1 million sqm of unique entertainment, shopping and leisure attractions, including 120 dining options, and live street entertainment.

In line with the recent rise of bleisure travel, GICC offers event attendees easy access to entertainment options such as the Grand Resort Deck water park, and Promenade Shop, which features 200 international brands, 10-screen 3D Cineplex, and award-winning spa services.

Together with increased accessibility and burgeoning infrastructure, like the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, GICC is set to bolster the business events industry in Macau, where cultural heritage and renowned culinary traditions enrich the event experience.

For enquiries: Galaxy MacauTM, COTAI, Macau +853 8883 1628 galaxyicc.com Galaxy International Convention Center

A MEMBER OF GALAXY ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

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Up Cl ose Edwar Dar r end Chen Koh

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U p C l o s e Edw ar d Koh

Up Close with STB’s Edward Koh Singapore Tourism Board’s newly appointed executive director of conventions, meetings & incentive travel experience development has big plans for the Little Red Dot as competition in the region heats up. By Lauren Arena

A

fter a few months in your new role, what are your initial impressions of the business events industry?

I’ve jumped right in — I’ve attended IMEX America and the ICCA conference in Houston to meet buyers and suppliers, and will also attend IBTM World in Barcelona (November) and AIME in Melbourne (February 2020).

It’s been an amazing journey so far. The people I’ve come across have been really warm and generous in sharing wisdom and experiences. As I meet people for the first time, I realise that many know each other not just from this lifetime, but the past life as well. Because of that, it really feels like a community.

The BTMICE segment, as we like to call it, is really quality tourism for us. We had 2.9 million BTMICE visitors to Singapore in 2018, contributing S$4.68 billion in tourism receipts.

On a global level, we are hearing and witnessing continued growth in the volume of meetings. Herein lies the challenge for us: We are a small team and an increase in meetings requires more business development efforts, and more face-to-face interaction.

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We need more partners to achieve our objectives and are currently reviewing partnerships with BestCities Global Alliance, Global Associations Hubs Partnership, and PCMA. Reflecting on your predecessor Jeannie Lim’s achievements, what unique perspective do you bring to this role?

Jeannie has certainly left me big shoes to fill. She has put in place very good mediumto long-term initiatives, and business and industry development plans. More importantly, she has put a team in place to make all those plans possible.

During her term, Jeannie won many accolades and we’ve received serious acknowledgement from the trade that we’re doing the right things. So, going forward we will continue to seek feedback from the trade.

I’ve been in public service for 28 years, more than half of which has been spent overseas in China and in regional markets across Southeast Asia. With a team that has stable knowledge of mature markets in the U.S. and Europe, this gives me the bandwidth to focus on growth markets in Asia — especially India and China — and newlyformed associations in Vietnam and Indonesia.

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Up Cl ose Edwar d Koh

In previous roles at STB, you’ve worked with in-market industry partners to drive tourism growth, as well as provide economic analysis and consumer insights into the tourism sector. How do you plan to use this knowledge to elevate the business events industry?

Partnerships increase market reach, while research is an interesting part of our work.

We produce consumer market insight reports, which help us understand why visitors want to come our way. This, in turn, has helped to improve marketing overseas and can help in our business development efforts for BTMICE. In your opinion, how can we improve research to better understand the ‘beyond tourism’ value of business events?

We have some anecdotal insights into the economic and social impact of the industry, but this is often deduced from a single meeting. We do not have an overarching view of impact. More research needs to be done — not just in Singapore but across the region — so that we have more deductive, quantitative insights, because we know the industry of meetings isn’t just about tourism receipts.

Admittedly, it is easier to focus on direct and indirect economic impact first, but we need professionals in the social sciences, along with academics and environmentalists, to help us come up with indexes.

What’s your opinion on Singapore’s standing as a regional leader in the business events industry?

We have a very strong and long history of working together with our ASEAN neighbours.

The formation of the [now defunct] Asian Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus (AACVB) shows intent, but we’re not certain how it can move forward. We are competitive, but given the rotational nature of association business, competition doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game.

As regional convention bureaus, we need to better understand the established practices of the association industry (where meetings are largely held in mature markets of Europe and the U.S.), and, at the same time, better understand ourselves.

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Geopolitics... Singapore's neutrality adds to its appeal as a meeting place for international delegates, says Koh.

Competition doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game.

EDWARD KOH Executive Director Singapore Tourism Board

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U p C l o s e Edw ar d Koh

This takes time, but I’m quite optimistic that, as we understand ourselves better, we will find a way to work together. As part of ASEAN, we have a fundamental understanding that we’re all in it together.

In terms of leadership, we’re happy to share our practices with our neighbours, but we’re aware that our way of working may not be applicable to everyone.

Photo credits: www.channelnewsasia.com

In your opinion, why is Singapore appealing to international associations?

Many associations are based in Europe and the U.S. and when they want to expand their membership base to ‘exciting Asia’, Singapore is usually top of mind because, as some say, it is ‘beginner’s Asia’, but also because we have fantastic connectivity.

Additionally, the neutrality of Singapore as a meeting platform is appealing. We are a neutral platform for American and Chinese delegates to meet face-to-face. Tourism really helps with peace and stability, and that is our contribution [as an industry] as well.

On the corporate front, you recently expanded the INSPIRE scheme to global event planners. How else is STB looking to drive corporate business in the next 12-24 months?

The beautiful part of INSPIRE Global is that it is a whole-of-industry initiative, not a government, top-down initiative.

There is complete buy-in from the Singapore trade and we have created 63 incentive experiences with almost 30 local partners. It’s very easy to use, and with very little paperwork involved!

We need tools to help us drive business — INSPIRE is a tool. We also have the BE in Singapore subvention scheme, and the Singapore MICE Advantage programme. With these tools, all we need to do is intensify our business development efforts in mature markets, while exploring new ones like China and India and Southeast Asia.

I expect exponential growth in the years to come. Our industry is actually providing confidence to the economy; 2020 is looking fantastic — we will play host to IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer, as well as the Lions Clubs International Convention, with 20,000

attendees expected. We have many more large-scale international meetings coming our way in the coming years, so we’re looking busy, but there is always room for improvement.

STB’s ‘Passion Made Possible’ brand has proven hugely successful. How can business events professionals leverage this?

The line between business and leisure is blurring, so there are more ‘bleisure’ travellers. This is great from a destination marketing perspective because in the past we lacked a ‘lever’ to influence business travellers to come to Singapore — now we have the leisure appeal, which influences decision-making and encourages delegates to stay longer.

That’s where Passion Made Possible comes in — we have a series of ‘Passion Tribes’ [that appeal to interests rather than usual age/sex demographics] that focus on people rather than market segments. We’ve found our ‘Progressor Tribe’ best describes the business events industry. This is being rolled out across many platforms and is an ongoing piece of work.

Experiential approach... STB's INSPIRE Global scheme provides 63 unique experiences that event planners can tap into for post-meeting activities.

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Destinat i on Feat ure So u t h K o r ea

Seoul shines on From K-Pop to traditional culture, and cuisine to curios, revel in the best Korean incentive options.

By Sanjay Surana

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D e s t i na t i o n Fe a t ur e S o ut h Kor e a

L

ong past the ravages of war, South Korea topped the 2019 Bloomberg Innovation Index and capital city Seoul epitomises that spirit. The metropolis, radiating from the twisting Han River, is a hybrid of old and new, steeped in history and home to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, yet also an economic powerhouse.

Seoul is home to the global headquarters of Samsung, LG and Hyundai, and is brimming with finance, IT, trading, and logistics businesses. This city of nine million is primed for business events. It is certainly adept at handling sizeable crowds, having hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup, 2010 G20 Summit, and 2016 Rotary International Convention, with 50,000 attendees.

Venues across the city cater to events small and large, from intimate spaces to the giant Coex, which has four exhibition halls, 55 meeting rooms, and hosts 2,500 international events per year. The Coex MICE Cluster, an alliance of 13 businesses in the area, collaboratively helps event planners. A huge range of hotels spread across Seoul adds to options available.

Nathasha Shaharis, head of MICE and leisure tours at Kuala Lumpur-based TravelBiz & Tours, regularly works with Korean DMCs and has organised groups of up to 250 people travelling to Seoul.

Among programmes she has arranged are gala dinners on cruises, kimchi-making workshops, team-building exercises, and meetings.

“Seoul is a great place for MICE because the flight-timing options are good; there are many great locations for gala dinners, like a cruise or a Korean folk village; and compared to Japan, hotel rates are more affordable. Halal meals are available, and there are many shopping places, especially for cosmetics. Coming to Korea has become a trend for incentive groups.”

The solid MICE infrastructure is supported by a government keen on enriching the lives of its residents. Seoul is an extremely liveable city, low-rise in many places, bubbling with community bonhomie and neighbourhood spirit.

Urban regeneration is a key part of the city’s fabric. Haneul Park is a beautiful warren of greenery above a former landfill, with fine views of the Han River and skyline.

In 2017, a former car overpass near Seoul Station was reborn as Seoullo 7017, a pedestrian walkway filled with plants like hibiscus and pine, both central to Korean identity.

Looking ahead, there is plenty in the pipeline. Gwanghwamun Plaza, near Gyeongbokgung Palace, will become a larger, more people-oriented space within a couple of years, with more greenery and trees. The city expects to build a new network of cycle lanes travelling north-south (most lanes now are east-west, along the river).

Of interest to meeting planners, the International Exchange Complex will see the reinvigoration of the Jamsil Sports Complex area as a new MICE hub by 2025, with convention centre, shopping facilities, and the towering Hyundai Business Centre, tipped to be the tallest building in the country.

Despite political bickering, South Korea strives towards cooperation with its northern neighbour, as espoused at the Seoul International Forum on Peace and Fair & Sustainable Tourism 2019, hosted by Seoul Metropolitan City and World Tourism Organization in September.

“As the capital of the world’s last remaining divided country, Seoul recognises the fact that peace trumps all else,” said Chulwon Kim, chair of the organising committee. “Tourism has much to offer in establishing peace, which will become the stepping stone for peace economy to flourish on the Korean peninsula.”

N Seoul Tower, Seoul

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Destinat i on Feat ure So u t h K o r ea

Cultural experiences and venues where old meets new

Where

Hotels

North Korea

South Korea China Japan

Incheon

Seoul

Busan

Jeju

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The city has no shortage of fine hotels.

The Grand Hyatt (top left), situated on a hill by Namsan Park, may be 41 years old, but renovations have kept it relevant, the latest room update having been completed this May. The ballroom, renovated in 2017, features a huge LED screen in its Art Decostyle foyer. Another screen in the main ballroom retracts to reveal synchronised dancing fountains that can be lit in multiple hues. The Presidential Suite, refurbished earlier this year, is able host up to 20 people for an event.

Opened in 2012 as part of the International Finance Centre, the Conrad Seoul has high-ceiling boardrooms and direct connection to the IFC Mall, giving dual benefits of plush negotiating spaces and nearby diversions during breaks. In July 2019, the property opened the modern bar and restaurant Vvertigo, primed for cocktail receptions, barbecue parties, and coffee breaks for up to 120 people.

Italian marble bathrooms and an executive desk are among lures at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, located near Gwanghwamun Plaza. The property offers almost 2,200 sqm of meeting space, including two ballrooms.

A giant complex with four hotels and plenty of meeting areas, the two-yearold Seoul Dragon City is a one-stop destination. The convention centre’s facilities of two ballrooms and 17 function rooms are shared by all the properties, and splitting

1,700 guest rooms across four different Accor brands varies the choice of hotel categories. The Hanra Ballroom’s extralarge LED media wall outdoes most others.

Experiences Seoul is a cultural smorgasbord of film, theatre, art and 115 museums. It is also the home of the irrepressibly kinetic K-Pop, a musical movement with enormous global reach. N Seoul Tower (above) sits in the geographical centre of the city atop Namsan Park. The former broadcast tower has fantastic 360-degree views of the cityscape and mountains. HanCook, a fabulous Korean restaurant, promises sensational vistas, especially at sunset.

An urban renewal project, the media complex MBC World was built on a former rubbish dump. Here, visitors can have their photos taken with a virtual facsimile of a K-Pop star, record a snippet as a news anchor or radio-show host, or don virtual historical costumes.

Fans of K-Pop should stop by SMTown, a celebration of the output by SM Entertainment, with memorabilia and displays of this musical genre, as well as a multi-functional theatre offering hologram concerts and live shows.

At King Studio (top centre), groups of up to 17 can sing, record and make a short video of songs in Korean, English, or Japanese at a studio that has minted more www.bizeventsasia.com

D e s t i na t i o n Fe a t ur e S o ut h Kor e a

Buyer's Opinion than 400 K-Pop albums. This is a fun teambuilding or incentive option.

Though built as a shrine to Catholic martyrs, the new Seosomun Historical Park feels more like a cool contemporary art museum. The spellbinding Mapo Recovery Resource Plant, one of five waste treatment plants in the city, processes some of Seoul’s daily 10,000 tons of waste. Using state-ofthe-art incinerating systems, it creates paving bricks and generates electricity from rubbish.

This is a fascinating insight into the smart sustainability that courses through this city.

Balwoo Gongyang, sitting opposite Jogyesa Temple, is famous for its vegetarian ‘temple food’. Muslim travellers can get lipsmacking halal Korean food at Eid, a cozy boîte close to the Seoul Central Mosque.

Unique venues A former oil storage facility, built after the 1973 oil crisis, was considered dangerous and closed in 2000 for the World Cup. Following a full-scale renovation that ended in 2017, Oil Tank Culture Park (above) is today an arts hub, with performance venues, exhibition halls and learning spaces among the previous storage tanks. Recent events held here include the 2019 Seoul International Women’s Film Festival. The glass pavilion can host cocktail events, while the small circular conference hall, with artfully rusted wall panels, holds up to 50 people. www.bizeventsasia.com

Opened at the end of 2018 in the former Hard Rock Cafe on the fifth floor of Lotte World Mall, Just KPop is an entertainment restaurant with space for 400 standing or 250 sitting. It can arrange presentations or daytime shows with K-Pop performers.

Jeongdong Maru arts complex features a number of spaces suited to groups. The 266-seat theatre is ideal for lectures or seminars; the indoor studio can hold 80 people (or 50 at a workshop to learn how to play the traditional drum called janggu); and an outdoor courtyard takes 100. Its interiors recall Hanok, or traditional Korean house design.

At Signiel Seoul, in the Lotte World Tower, the grand ballroom on the 76th floor is the world’s highest hotel banquet hall.

Sebitseom Island comprises three floating islands on the Han River and features a dome-shaped convention hall for 550 people. It has an 18-metre-wide screen and an electric curtain that opens up striking views of the river.

The most thrilling venue might be Sky Kingdom (top right), four levels set high up between the towers of Seoul Dragon City. King’s Vacation is a lounge-bar suited to welcome receptions, team-building, and closing parties, with a glass dance floor suspended 31 storeys above the ground.

We always consider what a city can offer to us in terms of cultural sites, natural scenery and traditional food. Seoul is definitely a city that accommodates us in a lot of key variables. The beautiful streets, the cultural sites, the traditional foods/ street foods, and shopping.

The city also has an easily accessible transportation system that simplifies movement. The modernity of Seoul makes a lot of travellers want to come and enjoy the various things, not just watch it from a Korean drama.

Last but not least, Seoul has one of the most dynamic nightlife scenes in Asia. The K-Pop culture keeps on getting bigger and bigger.

ANDI GUNAWAN

Chief marketing officer SIP, Indonesia

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Destinat i on Feat ure T ha i l a nd

Call of the Kingdom

Thailand’s partnership-driven marketing strategy bears fruit as business events extend to regional destinations.

By Anis Ramli

Beachfront gala dinner at Marriott Resort & Spa, Hua Hin

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D e s t i n a t i o n Fe a t u r e Th ailan d

T

he Kingdom of Thailand evokes exotic cultures, warm smiles and welcoming hospitality. Behind the serene smile, the lilting accent and graceful wai (the typical Thai greeting with palms pressed together as though in prayer) are industry players who are well aware of the return on investment of business events and eager to draw more corporate groups to the Land of Smiles.

According to the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Thailand has already welcomed close to 970,000 international business events delegates within the first three quarters of the 2019 financial year. In fact, in the 2018 ICCA global rankings, Thailand was ranked No. 21 in terms of number of conferences held.

Meanwhile UFI reported that Thailand was the largest exhibition market in Southeast Asia with 640,000 sqm of venue space sold in 2018.

Leading this success is TCEB, recognised by a royal decree as the national bidder for business events and with the full backing of the government.

The bureau has strategically aligned itself with Thailand 4.0, the government’s 20-year policy to drive the national economy in 12 focus industries, using it as a platform to draw more business events into Thailand.

At the recent Thailand MICE Forum, UFI CEO Kai Hattendorf commended TCEB’s business strategy. “Thailand really understands the importance of MICE in general and how connecting with a government policy can drive growth in the industries. Thailand is really utilising the MICE industry to bring that impact into effect.”

One of the 12 focus industries is aviation and Thailand has plans to host its own air show by 2023 to strengthen its reputation as an aviation hub. According to director of marketing strategy at TCEB, Duangdej Yuaikwarmdee, the feasibility study for such a show has just been completed and the U-Tapao International Airport is tipped as the host venue.

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Nichapa Yoswee, TCEB’s senior vice president for business, attributes Thailand’s achievements to its partnership-driven marketing strategy. “We have a series of partnership programmes at all levels,” she says.

Alliances with domestic associations such as Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (TICA), Thai Exhibition Association (TEA) and Thai Hotels Association (THA) have paved the way for Thailand to provide creative solutions and new experiences for clients.

Ease of business is a primary focus and TCEB has developed a range of services and products to support the industry, such as BizConnect application, MICE Intelligence Centre and Online RFS. The organisation has also appointed meetings and incentives commissioners in the U.S., the U.K., Europe and Asia who advocate for Thailand and provide support in their respective markets.

Yuaikwarmdee says the bureau is ready to assist event professionals in every way. “When you organise your event in Thailand, you will not work alone. At TCEB, our role is as collaborator, partner, co-creator and thought leader to each client.”

While Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya and Khon Kaen are Thailand’s major MICE cities, the bureau is also keen to promote alternative destinations through its new “Meet Now” campaign.

TCEB recently showcased the potential of a Bangkok-Hua Hin twin-destination incentive programme. A popular seaside resort southwest of Bangkok, Hua Hin is ready to welcome more business events — it has more than 10 four- and five-star hotels with 18,000 sqm of event space and is close to local attractions in many provinces.

ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath applauds the move. “It’s fantastic that Thailand is moving towards the second- and third-tier cities because it’s a great way for business events to build the knowledge economy and share the return on investment in these cities.”

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Destinat i on Feat ure T ha i l a nd

Combine Bangkok and Hua Hin for a twin-destination incentive programme

Where

Hotels

Myanmar

Laos

Thailand Cambodia Vietnam

Malaysia

Bangkok

Hua Hin

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The Sukhothai Bangkok’s manicured lawns and air of zen provide an oasis of calm within the bustling City of Angels.

The Courtyard Garden can take up to 600 people in a cocktail setting with mature trees, lotus ponds and clear skies as a backdrop. Indoors, the Sukhothai Ballroom caters for 200 banquet guests while its award-winning restaurant, The Celadon, seats 110.

The 30-storey Rosewood Bangkok opened in Ploenchit end-March, offering 159 guest rooms and both a boardroom and ballroom for meetings.

Waldorf Astoria Bangkok (top left) opened last year with 171 guest rooms and several versatile function spaces, the largest being the Magnolia Ballroom at 720 sqm. A pre-function foyer and outdoor terrace are also available for special events.

Opening in the first quarter of 2020, Capella Bangkok will offer 101 suites overlooking the Chao Phraya River.

About three hours’ drive from Bangkok is the beach destination of Hua Hin, where Marriott Resort & Spa features 322 guest rooms and four function spaces between 50 sqm and 300 sqm with high ceilings and plenty of natural light. For an outdoor function, utilise its garden lawn for cocktails (300 pax), or the beachfront terrace (80 pax).

Nearby, the Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas’ topiary garden and airy terraces lend a classic air to corporate events. The colonial-style property has 209 rooms and 42 villas, and seven restaurants and bars. Its largest function space can cater for up to 200 pax for a banquet, while outdoor areas such as the beach, poolside and putting green can host themed parties for up to 700 pax.

Experiences After meeting in Bangkok, get to know the local culture in Hua Hin and nearby provinces. Journey 80 km to Baan Thaka village, home to coconut palm groves.

Explore the village and its picturesque surroundings by taking a slow boat-ride along the maze of canals, then drop by the village community centre to see how coconut production is spurring the local economy.

Take part in basket-weaving, sample coconut-based desserts, learn about the many top-to-toe benefits of this versatile palm.

Ten minutes away, in a bend on the Mae Klong River, is the King Rama II Memorial Park (above), where private museum tours can be arranged with park director, Professor Emeritus Siriwan Silapacharanan.

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Buyer's Opinion The park gives a glimpse into the life of the beloved king, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Person for his contributions to Thai arts and culture.

Dress up in Thai traditional costumes for lunch at the waterfront villa where floral garland makers and musicians give a royal welcome.

Continue the journey to Golden Windmill Salt Spa in Samut Sakhon where the biggest sea salt farms in Thailand are located. Relax over a fleur de sel spa treatment and make your own sea salt scrub to bring home. Finally, sample the briny Thai 'caviar' (Caulerpa Lentillifera seaweed) also cultivated in the area.

The Somdet Srinagarindra Park, also known as the Late Princess Mother’s Garden of the Chaipattana Foundation, about 40 km from Hua Hin, is a lush garden where visitors can enjoy a variety of hands-on activities such as making herbal compresses, planting rice in the mud fields, and attending a thematic cooking class (top centre) based on their birth element.

Unique venues Bangkok is not short of unique venue spaces for meetings and corporate events. Indulge in an award-winning dining experience at Bo.lan, an intimate, Michelin star-rated dining space that

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prides itself in using sustainably-sourced local ingredients.

Book the entire venue for a sustainable DIY workshop where food, cloth and paper scraps are recycled, sneak a peek into the kitchen and interact with chefs before enjoying dinner for 90 pax.

Located along the Chao Phraya River, Praya Palazzo (above) is a boutique hotel that oozes old-world romance. The mansion has three function spaces: Praya Dining Room seats 50 banquet-style; Rom Pho drawing room accommodates 50 pax for cocktails; and River View Garden caters for 200 pax.

End the evening on its private barge back to the city while enjoying the riverside scenery by night.

For spectacular views, rooftop sky bar, SEEN, at Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel hosts up to 64 guests. The infinity pool doubles up as a stylish party venue.

Scheduled to open this November, True ICONSIAM Hall, measuring 12,000 sqm complete with retractable and sound-proof walls, can accommodate 3,000 people.

An additional 14 breakout rooms are available for groups of 20 to 200. It sits atop ICON Siam, a luxury lifestyle and entertainment centre with an indoor floating market, Sook Siam (top right), as an attraction.

Bangkok is an everevolving destination with new surprises each time you visit and yet, distinctly Thai! Despite its crazy traffic and crowded street markets, it is still a popular draw. And along comes Hua Hin, within reach if one's group needs a more sober diversion from the hustle and bustle of the capital.

It is a formidable combination and one that gives us inspiration to curate creative experiences for clients who are demanding more for less.

It is this enduring creativity of the Thais that has helped Thailand remain a prime MICE destination.

However, to ensure the ‘Land of Smiles’ continues, greater consistency is needed when it comes to the level of service and hospitality. The luxury of Thai hospitality should be rigorously pursued by all. Otherwise, efforts to reinvent may all be in vain.

RICHARD SOO

Managing Director MEP Meeting & Exhibition Planners Sdn Bhd Malaysia

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On The Road

On the road… Familiar faces and new connections.

ITB Asia

Wine Down at ITB

IT & CM Asia

TCEB Media Famil

ITB Asia

il

am TCEB Media F

MACEOS BE Forum

SITE Clas ic

Global Wellness Summit

Wine Down at ITB

Follow our social media pages for more of what we saw on the road.

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MORE THAN A V EN U E

NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company

Create an authentic event experience by connecting with the talents of local Indigenous artists and businesses, and discover an understanding of Australia’s First Nations People. Choose to host your next event at ICC Sydney. sales@iccsydney.com | +61 2 9215 7100 | iccsydney.com