HAP10

HEADQUARTERS A S I A- PAC I F I C

the Asia-Pacific Magazine for Association Executives Supported by UIA, Union of International Associations, Brussels

10

Headquarters Magazines Meetings Industry Publishers (Singapore) Published 4 times a year Edition July 2012

Interview

Maureen O’Crowley Placing Seoul on the Meetings map UIA gets practical

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Colophon

marcel’s comment

Headquarters Asia-Pacific or HAP is a niche publication for local, regional and international associations based in the Asia-Pacific region dealing with the organization of worldwide congresses.

Published 4 times a year. Circulation: 2,500 copies in 14 different countries.

Association business is growing in Asia and the Gulf

Subscriptions Subscriptions amount to 85 euros (all incl.).

The online version of the magazines is available at www.headquartersmagazine.com Editor in Chief Marcel A.M.Vissers T: +32 (0)3 226 88 81 marcel@headquartersmagazine.com Managing Director Cécile Caiati-Koch T: +32 (0)2 761 70 52 cecile@headquartersmagazine.com Account Manager - International Sales Kelvin Lu T: +32 (0)2 761 70 59 kelvin@headquartersmagazine.com Managing Editor Rémi Dévé T: +32 (0)2 761 70 58 remi@headquartersmagazine.com Design Wallrus, Kortrijk - Belgium T: +32 (0)56 24 94 44 info@wallrus.be Print The Neu Print PTE Ltd - Singapore neuprint@singnet.com.sg Supported by UIA, Union of International Associations Address Headquarters Magazines PTE Ltd 1 Scotts Road #21-07 Shaw Centre Singapore 228208 Responsible Publisher Headquarters Magazines PTE Ltd - Singapore Marcel A.M. Vissers marcel@headquartersmagazine.com

Every year during the GIBTM fair in Abu Dhabi the press room gets a little fuller. This year, the meetings industry research seminar drew double the number of attendees compared to 2011. What could the reason be? Quite simply, because stats, charts and tables always attract people, especially if they are meaningful. It is Sally Greenhill, of The Right Solution company, who presents interesting new data every year. When I saw her on the first trading day in March, she told me she had good news: ‘For the first time ever, my research shows that the association business is growing

in Asia and the Gulf. This year’s results clearly show that the market share of the association and congress business is becoming important.’ For Headquarters Asia Pacific, but also for the European edition, this is of course interesting news. On page 28 we’ll dig a little deeper into the research.

I noted the following: ‘One major shift in business revealed in the research has been the rise in importance of Asia as a source market, with India as well as China becoming more important for the regional meetings sector.’ It is one of my views that in the future Asian associations will more and more find their way into

Marcel A.M. Vissers Editor in Chief

the international market. The movement to the Gulf States has already started. Australia is also becoming an interesting destination for them. Maybe Europe will follow one day…

» Read more on www.headquartersmagazine.com

CONTENTS General

Cécile Caiati-Koch

News association Portrait UIA IBTM Global Meetings Industry Research CIBTM

Cover interview 4 6 9

14

Destinations 28 30

RESEARCH Emerging destination markets

Maureen O’Crowley, Seoul Convention Bureau

10

KLCC Brisbane Australia Taiwan Qatar

17 18 21 24 26

Rémi Dévé

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HQ

> headquarters n ews

Kuala Lumpur CentRE Contributed to Bettering ICCA Ranking in 2011

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

ICC Jerusalem

many smaller groups as required. The area can hold up to 10,000 people, with smaller areas comfortably hosting ten or hundreds of guests. www.iccjer.co.il/en

The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre), the country’s premier convention facility, recorded an increase in international delegates by over 1,000 guests to 19,750 in 2011, compared with 18,725 in 2010. According to the recently released International Convention & Conference Association’s (ICCA) Country and City Rankings Report 2011, Malaysia recorded her highest number of meetings to date with 126 association meetings, an increase of seven from the previous year’s (2010) 119. Of this, Kuala Lumpur took the lion’s share with 78 meetings.

Malaysia also reaffirmed her credentials in the Asia Pacific and Middle East region with a seventh placing, unchanged from the previous year (2010), and a global ranking of 29th place. www.myceb.com.my Mumbai

2nd India Association Congress at The Westin Mumbai in August

Introducing ICC Jerusalem The International Convention Center (ICC) - Binyanei HaUma has been a byword for excellence for the past 60 years. Its lounges and halls tell the story of a center that has seen it all: receptions of presidents and world leaders, exhibitions by distinguished artists, monumental business conventions and spectacular performances. The venue’s immense space and numerous halls can be divided according to the needs of each client.

This flexibility and the abundance of entrances and exits allow a single major event to be subdivided into as

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The 2nd India Association Congress will be held on 24th-25th August 2012 at The Westin Mumbai, India. The two day program will witness panel discussion of various subjects like Competition law, Coalition and advocacy, Future of Association, Professional help for managing associations, Membership retention mechanism, ideas behind opening Indian chapters of International associations and its complications, importance of Events- A source for revenue and engagement, etc. Dedicated session to address the needs of medical associations will be organized stressing the importance of CME, ethics, etc. www.indiaassociationcongress.com

Thailand Convention Bureau makes another significant move in Taiwan The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau or TCEB organized its business forum in Taipei, Taiwan, looking to promote interest in Thailand international exhibitions among Taiwanese trade visitors and exhibitors. Business forum was held to explore how Thailand’s exhibition industry can facilitate Taiwanese open doors to business opportunities in ASEAN as well as showcase available attractive incentives for Taiwanese trade and travel associations. www.meettaiwan.com

> headquarters n ews

CIMGlobal has 15 years experience in delivering meetings, events and conferences in India and is a leading player in the Indian national and international conference market. www.congrex.com www.cimglobal.net

Debbie Stanford-Kritiansen

Monica Lee-Müller

Debbie Stanford-Kritiansen Joins Borneo Convention Centre Kuching Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) announced the appointment of Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen as their new Director of Sales & Marketing. Debbie brings with her 24 years of extensive global experience and expertise in the MICE industry.

She has worked with expo@bahrain and Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority (BECA) for the last seven years. Previously she was the Vice President of Global Sales for the IMEX Exhibition. In addition of being an active member of various MICE industry memberships, Debbie spent six years on the Board of SITE (Society of Incentive & Travel Executives) UK and Ireland Chapter and was elected Chapter President for two years. www.bcck.com.my

Congrex and CIMGlobal form powerful alliance in India Conferences & Incentives Management Pvt. Ltd. (CIMGlobal) in India and Congrex announced that they have entered into an exclusive Cooperation and Execution Agreement for events taking place in India. The new agreement is a powerful combination of Congrex international expertise and CIMGlobal’s market knowledge and experience in India. Congrex and CIMGlobal have already initiated bidding processes for conferences and events scheduled for India in its dynamic markets.

Lee-Müller to Head HKCEC Management Company

Kristian Nicholls

BESydney recruits Kristian Nicholls as General Manager Business Development Moving ahead with its organisational re-structure, Business Events Sydney (BESydney) announced Kristian Nicholls will join the team in the role of General Manager Business Development. Given the newly formed Business Development team is comprised of both research and business development, Kristian’s extensive management and sales experience in the business event and hotel sectors made him the ideal candidate for the role.

Kristian has over 10 years’ experience in national and international relationship management, account management and bidding and was most recently the Director of Venues for leading industry supplier, Staging Connections. Previously, he held senior roles at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, as Director of Sales - Asia, Sales Development Manager International and as Convention Operations Manager. www.businesseventssydney.com.au

Monica Lee-Müller will assume the role of Managing Director of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre’s (”HKCEC“) management and operating company, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Ltd (”HML“), with effect from 1 July 2012. She has held the position of Deputy Managing Director since 2007 and was formerly the HML’s Director of Business Development. During her 18-year tenure, she has led the team in securing numerous world renowned exhibitions and conventions. Ms LeeMüller currently holds a number of other industry positions in Hong Kong. She is a board member of Ocean Park Corporation and serves on the Advisory Board of The School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University as well as other educational institutes. She has served as a mentor at the Hong Kong University SPACE Community College. www.hkcec.com

2012-2013 Meetings Industry Fairs Worldwide: Make Your Choice!

CIBTM // 12-14 September 2012, Beijing // www.cibtm.com IMEX America // 9-11 October 2012, Las Vegas // www.imexamerica.com EIBTM // 27-29 November 2012, Barcelona // www.eibtm.com AIME // 26-27 February 2013, Melbourne // www.aime.com.au

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HQ

> A ss o ciati o n P o rtrait

A talk with the

Australian Trucking Association The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) is the peak body that represents trucking operators. The ATA’s members include major logistics companies, transport industry associations and businesses with leading expertise in truck technology. Tania Goodacre, Tania Goodacre

Events Manager, tells us more about how the association operates.

HQ: Could you briefly present the Australian Trucking Association?

Tania Goodacre: The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) was established to improve the trucking industry’s safety, professionalism and viability after the Grafton truck and bus crash in October 1989. The accident claimed 21 lives and was the worst accident in Australian road transport history at the time.

In 2011, the ATA published its twentieth anniversary history, which covers the key events that propelled the formation of the ATA, as well as the larger than life personalities involved.

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In 2011: ++ Through effective lobbying, the ATA secured a better deal for trucking operators and employees affected by the 2011 floods and Tropical Cycline Yasi. ++ The ATA’s strong support for high productivity vehicles was backed by the Australian Government when it released its Draft National Land Freight Strategy. ++ The ATA commissioned and published two major research consultancies, to cover the environmental credentials of the trucking industry and the gaps in heavy vehicle safety research.

++ The ATA prepared detailed submissions, supported by legal advice, in response to the draft Heavy Vehicle National Law package released by the National Transport Commission in February 2011. The submissions and legal advice pointed out more than 245 issues with the draft. ++ The ATA won the trucking industry a two-year exemption from the Australian Government’s proposed carbon tax, until 1 July 2014. Other transport fuel users, including the rail industry, will be subject to the tax from 1 July 2012.

> A ss o ciati o n P o rtrait

HQ: What kind of challenges has it overcome in recent years? What do you find most challenging to achieve?

Tania Goodacre: In 2009, the ATA commissioned a stakeholder perceptions audit to address concerns that the association didn’t have a clear focus. As a result of the audit, the ATA put in place a new mission statement - ‘A safe, professional and viable trucking industry’ and backed it with a strong strategic planning process and a written strategic plan.

With a written strategic plan, the ATA’s board, council and staff now have a common understanding about what needs to be done.

HQ: What kind of events do you organize?

Tania Goodacre: The ATA has a convention once a year which focuses on policy issues.

This event attracts operators from all sizes of business.

The other major event is a Technical and Maintenance Conference which caters for around 300 delegates. This conference is for workshop and fleet managers to discuss maintenance issues and to see new products and technology in the industry. This conference is a practical workshop based event.

Pre-dinner drinks amongst the trucks

ATA

EVENTs & AWARDS The ATA runs the trucking industry’s two premier yearly events. The Australian Trucking Convention attracts some 500 delegates and deals with regulatory, safety and management issues. The Technical and Maintenance Conference delivers information about workshop issues to 300 delegates each year. The ATA also promotes excellence in the industry through the National Trucking Industry Awards.

The decision on where to go is based on costs; leisure versus business destination; easy access by operators and access by trucks. Our selected destinations are selected based on their appeal to trucking operators, some of whom only have time off for attending the annual convention.

The ATA’s Board have the final sign off.

The ATA also owns and manages a mobile safety education trailer known as The Road Ahead (TRA). This travelling exhibition visits schools, shows and special events.

With any event, location plays a very important part in the planning and no more so than in the trucking industry HQ: What is the association’s decision process concerning the organization of your annual meeting? How do you decide where to go?

Tania Goodacre: With any event, location plays a very important part in the planning and no more so than in the trucking industry.

Locations are selected to take in consideration the many regional and rural trucking operators who are the ATA’s target audience.

HQ: What kind of venues do you need and what criteria must they satisfy?

Tania Goodacre: We look for venues that can hold an exhibition with sit down lunches as well as a gala dinner and a plenary. If they are all on the same floor or within very close proximity to each other that is a definite bonus.

In the past we have held both our major events at “live-in” type of venues; ie resorts and we find that also works well and receives great delegate feedback.

HQ: Any memorable destination for one of your events? If yes, why?

Tania Goodacre: Recently, our Australian Trucking Convention was held at Rosehill Gardens Event Centre, in Sydney. This venue is also a race course and poses logistical challenges as there can be limited movement before 9.00am because of horse training that occurs in the early morning. Moving trucks around before the start of Convention was interesting as we had to stop still when horses approached.

This was especially relevant as we incorporated a public event called Trucks on Show which had a public Show ‘n Shine with people bringing their trucks to display. Safely bumping in 50 odd trucks within an hour certainly caused hearts to pump, but I am pleased to report it all went according to plan and on time. www.truck.net.au

Venues must be able to have trucks in them, which means we look for a minimum door height of 4.3 meters and the venue must have weight bearing floors to take the weight of a truck or trailer and their associated equipment especially in the exhibition space.

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UIA ı Union of International Associations

accordance with the statutes, however low the attendance, with a further procedure to set the situation to rights afterwards, so that the administration can continue.

Practical issues when organizing an association event Prime considerations for an association planning a meeting are the programme and the venue. Hard on the heels of these essential decisions come a host of practical issues to be resolved, such as publicity, budgeting, value added tax, transport and transfers, registration. This article will

Conferences are often intended to bring in funds to support the general running expenses of the organisation or expand activities, but if the association managers find that numbers are far from those they had hoped and planned for, they will be required to prove that they made every possible effort to attract participants if they are trying to recover their outlay by claiming on insurance. Proving that one advertised is possible, but understanding why people did not read one’s notices or respond to the interesting programme is difficult or impossible. Insurers ask whether they are to cover the expected profit, but if an association is officially ‘non-profit-making’ this is contradictory.

The expense of paying to a hotel or conference centre the contractually agreed minimum if the meeting fails to generate the expected business will fall on the association, so the association manager has to judge whether an insurance premium will benefit him or just add to his losses. Often his conclusion will be to negotiate his best position with the hotel, balancing the lowest potential loss in case of problems with the greatest flexibility in case of success.

focus on two of the numerous concerns arising: insurance and visas. What if the plan does not work out - should the event be insured? And for the delegates to reach the meeting - do they need visas?

Text Judy Wickens, Volunteer at the Uia, Retired Secretary General of T.I.C. (tanb.org), with Petra Augustinova

Insurance Insurance is a thorny issue for associations to tackle. There are companies or brokers which offer cover for ‘events’ and it is clearly of interest to association executives to investigate this, with regard to their responsibilities.

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The largest risk would be cancellation of the entire event, but insurance normally covers cancellation only for reasons beyond the control of the organiser and not by any decision of his. When the meeting is the general assembly of an association, it can usually not be cancelled under any circumstances (a point to be stressed when booking a venue, also); it must be held in

Notices of meetings commonly include a disclaimer of any responsibility on the part of the association if participants have accidents or become ill, which is reasonable since the delegates should be covered by their own firms or their personal insurance. For exhibitions, similarly, stands and personnel should be insured by their own firms. The association’s own staff should be insured as part of their employment. If the venue’s reservation contract requires the organiser to subscribe to liability insurance, the cheapest and simplest means is likely to be inclusion in the venue’s own insurance for a short period.

As with all contracts, an insurance policy should be read with the greatest care, and with particular attention to circumstances which are excluded or are not covered unless additional clauses are written and higher premiums are paid. The burden of calculating potential losses if the worst happens, including assessment of an ‘excess’ (the part of a loss which will be supported by the organiser even if the insurer agrees to pay a claim) lies with the client running the meeting. After all, the insurer, whether company, broker or underwriter, is operating as a business.

Visas So, the meeting is going ahead, and delegates are booking their places. People who have to undertake international travel in order to attend will need visas or permits allowing them to enter the country. The days have long passed when travel agents provided visas along with one’s air-tickets as a matter of course.

Procedures and conditions change frequently, and interpretation of regulations for one country may vary from one embassy to another; waiting times may vary widely for different places of application, too. Association meeting organisers can assist visitors with general guidance and by providing formal letters of invitation and documents as requested, and they should be prepared to provide this support, which may be very timeconsuming.

Applications for visas should follow the published rules as closely as possible, no more no less, as omissions or inaccuracies are very likely to provoke a rapid refusal.

As well as a completed form and a passport - with the passport often required to be valid for six months after the trip - documents required frequently include a return ticket home, proof of sufficient funds, confirmation of conference registration and of a hotel booking.

For those who are not citizens of the European Union (EU) wishing to attend a meeting in Europe within the ‘Schengen Area’,

The largest risk would be cancellation of the entire event, but insurance normally covers cancellation only for reasons beyond the control of the organiser and not by any decision of his a visa will probably be required, although as nationals of some countries are exempted information should be sought on this point.

The Schengen Area comprises most but not all of the EU member countries plus a few others, such as Switzerland. It could be noted that the United Kingdom is in the EU but not the Schengen Area. An application for such a visa should be made either to the country which is the main point of the visit or to the country in which the visitor will arrive, the airport where he will land. Making several applications to different countries is not advisable. Within the Schengen Area a visitor can then move freely but he should keep his passport with him.

For the United States visas can be obtained in some countries by means of an electronic application on-line, in others a personal interview system is operated. The latter may involve a considerable time waiting for the

appointment and then for a decision, which can result in a visa being granted but too late for the participant to reach his meeting.

There are numerous different types of visas and it is not always a simple matter to discover whether a participant in an association conference requires a business or a tourist document. For each and every journey to a meeting, it is advisable to check afresh for visa or visa waiver arrangements between the country of citizenship and residence and the country to be visited.

There are so many practical issues affecting the organisation of meetings, and the better our preparation the more likely it is that our efforts will be crowned with success. www.uia.org

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HQ > R esearch

ASSOCIATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST A FOCUS The Middle East North Africa ‘MENA’ region, as defined by the World Bank, contains 20 countries, spans five time zones, and is home to 362 million people. In population and land area, it is comparable to the United States. Text Tarnbir Kaur, CAE, Director- Association Management & Consulting, MCI Dubai

Tarnbir Kaur

The Arabic language and Islamic culture that dominate within the region have created a shared cultural heritage, and people’s shared historical experience has to a certain degree strengthened a regional collective consciousness. But there are also enormous differences both within and among the countries of the Levant (Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria), the Gulf (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen), and Egypt and other countries of North Africa.

There are many successful regional and local associations engaged in activities similar to the western associationsnamely conferences, meetings and small events. Events function as the lifeline of such association providing funds to sustain continued operations.

The chart below gives an overview of the types of the events that were organised in Middle East.

Types of events organised in Middle East in the last 12 months Incentive travel 36% Meetings 27% Events and exhibitions 18% Conventions/congresses/conferences 15% Not Stated 4% Source: GIBTM

Percentage of buyers

Dubai Abu Dhabi Egypt Moroco Oman Jordan Qatar Bahrain Tunisia Saudi Arabia Lebanon Kuwait Syria Sharjah Libya Algeria Umm Al Quwain Source: GIBTM

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The visual below also gives an overview of the various countries where events were organised in 2011 in the Middle East. Clearly Dubai and Abu Dhabi lead the region with Egypt as a surprising #3.

Destinations for events in 2011 0%

Official statistics about associations in the region are hard to find especially in the wake of the Arab Spring however within the region Egypt and Saudi have the most vibrant local and regional associations.

Associations in the Levant region are more developed in nature and have been around for around 60-70 years due to a greater freedom for set up and operations of not for profit entities. The culture of volunteerism is prevalent throughout the region largely due to the religious influence.

Some associations especially the medical ones find it easier to raise funds through sponsorship by pharmaceutical companies. Others rely more on membership fees and revenue generated out of their certification programmes.

While training conferences are conducted by associations for skill enhancement, associations also come out with regular publications that provide up to date information for the readers. International associations with certifications and strong professional development courses will find many takers in the region.

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

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One of the repercussions of the Arab Spring has also been a greater scrutiny of associations in the region. Egypt is passing a new legislation that will involve much more government control in the operations of associations as well as legal hurdles in setting up of not for profit associations especially those headquartered abroad.

Some associations especially the medical ones find it easier to raise funds through sponsorship by pharmaceutical companies It is easier to legally incorporate local and regional associations as most of board have local members and this is a key requirement for most associations. In Dubai there are plans to set up a Dubai Association Centre (DAC) which will enable international, regional and national associations to set up their Middle East HQ in Dubai. The legislation is currently awaiting approval in the Rulers Court.

International associations keen to have a presence in the Middle East region will have success if they review alternative approaches to a Chapter or Affiliate model.

Another area that international players will need to remember is the increased influence of Government and semi government organisations. According to the Economist the Middle East has strikingly few private companies, less than one-third of the number per person in Eastern Europe. In Egypt the public sector accounts for 40% of valueadded outside agriculture - an unusually large share for a middle-income country.

Such private firms as do exist tend to be large and closely connected to the state.

The average Middle Eastern company is ten years older than in East Asia or Eastern Europe because new entrants are kept out by pervasive red tape. Given this scenario cooperation with big National players such as Qatar Telecom, Saudi Telecom, Mubadala in Abu Dhabi, Kingdom Holding and others will be critical for success.

There are many reasons for associations to be positive and invest in Middle East region.

Some of them are:

Need for skill development: Half of the population in Middle East is below the age of 20 and where unemployment rates of 25% ‘exceeds that of any other region in the world’, the International Monetary Fund said in its April 2011 regional outlook for the Middle East and Central Asia. Joblessness ‘is largely a youth phenomenon’, with people between the ages of 15 and 24 accounting for 40% of all people without jobs in the region, and this figure rising to as much as 60 % in Egypt and Syria, the IMF said. There is also a serious mismatch between the skills young people possess and those that firms seek.

Focus on education from government: The region’s leaders are committed to improving education as most of the current leaders and rulers were educated in the US and Europe thus giving them a wider view of the world and a commitment to transform their countries as well.

Increasing role of women in the workforce: In Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah has vowed to get more women working and his government is hiring too. He pledged 66,000 jobs in teaching and healthcare, mostly for women. In 2006, Kuwait’s parliamentary elections allowed women to cast ballots and stand as candidates for the first time. Today more than 30 women hold ministerial positions in the MENA region.

Increase in mobile and internet penetration: The role of the digital media has been amplified by the Arab Spring where social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have enabled change. As per a Booz & Company report the number of broadband users in the region is expected to reach 143 Mn in 2014 and the number of mobile users to 393 Mn.

Dubai

www.mci-group.com/associations

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Emerging Association Markets India & China A Conversation with Congrex’s Managing Director for the Nordic Region, Lena Fletcher

The Great Wall of China

Lena Fletcher

The associations industry has been thriving in developed markets now for many decades and its expansion has served and continues to serve its stakeholders well. But what of the trends in China and India?

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Congrex, a leading conference and association management company, has just announced its alliance with two key partners in India and China to pursue key initiatives in the emerging association markets of these important regions. To get better insights of what is happening on the ground we had a chat with Lena Fletcher, Regional Managing Director, Nordic Region, who will be heading up operations together with Alain Pittet, Regional Managing Director, Congrex Switzerland, with the two Congrex partners in these regions.

HQ: Congrex has just completed two key agreements for associations business in Asia. Can you tell us about your new partners and what is significant for associations about these collaborations?

Lena Fletcher: Very importantly, these collaborations mean the potential for the exchange of delegates and a brain trust from which all three markets - European, Indian and Chinese can benefit. If we can find a way for India and China into Europe, then we have massive potential for associations that will lead to continued development and growth in the sector.

> R esearch

These collaborations are both about sharing knowledge and expertise, and the big distinction is in the way we are going to work with each partner. Although both markets are experiencing enormous growth and are very dynamic, the two markets are in a completely different level of maturity. Our Indian partner CIMS has been active in the market since 1997 and is a big player in that market with tremendous knowledge on meetings.

Because of their level of experience, they are very seasoned and are in their own right meetings experts.

I know of a few European associations looking at India but they are a bit hesitant because it is a different culture and they don’t know the lay of the land. They question whether they will receive a high level of service needed to successfully run their events. They need to be able to trust and depend on destinations and services providers to deliver on the high standards they have come to expect. That’s where the collaboration between a European provider like Congrex and its Indian counter-part CIM is very valuable.

Gadi Sagar Temple - India

India has quite a mature associations market, and the next step is to attract European associations to their destinations In China, the associations meeting market is still in its development stages, and our partner CITS is greatly successful in the MICE sector, but are still learning how to best apply PCO services for association meetings. The great value CITS brings is its success in the market there, and its enormous growth potential.

HQ: What is the situation now in both India and China with regards to the emerging associations market there?

Lena Fletcher: India has quite a mature associations market, and the next step is to attract European associations to their destinations. In order to do this they must improve on European standardisation since the level needed to deliver to European organisations and participants is very high. While their PCO services are very developed, India has infrastructure limitations such as no permanent conventions centres in their major cities, with few exceptions, and this means they deal with this lack of infrastructure by building temporary ones. These get torn down once the event is completed. Of course this has a very negative environmental impact - a deterrent for many European organisers who are sustainability minded.

With regards to China, the whole PCO meeting expertise is not as developed as in the Indian market. There is great potential but they are at the beginning of an important learning curb, and the ensuing task is to support China to grow in its professionalisation of the associations market so it can become attractive for European associations.

This is made challenging due to Chinese associations not being independently run - but government-run. This has implications across the board because it means that networks are difficult to access. If we wanted to invite endocrinologists to meetings in Europe, we have no direct way of reaching these professionals so part of the role of our Chinese partner is to facilitate the path to these networks. Reaching the networks in both these two countries is key to working well, and for the long-term.

HQ: What is important to know about going forward in each of these markets?

Lena Fletcher: It’s to realise that it’s not going to be easy because there are substantial cultural differences. What is important is the commitment to finding the best way of working together. The

long-term benefits to all stakeholders will far outweigh the short-term challenges on the way to a truly productive level of collaboration.

HQ: As Europe and the USA are mature markets and have contributed much expertise in the past to the development of the industry, what can we learn from working in these new markets?

Lena Fletcher: For European associations there is a tremendous potential for professionals from India and China to increasingly participate in European meetings and for organisers to host more meetings in their regions. These new and dynamic markets are home to people with a lot of knowledge and Asian delegate participation will increase the quality of European meetings and provide richer content and the increasing know-how and expertise of their fields.

We expect that there will be great synergies with association clients from all our offices and anticipate that all will benefit from the development of these emerging new markets. www.congrex.com

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HQ

> CO V ER IN T ER V IE W

Maureen O’Crowley The Spirit of Seoul

Maureen O’Crowley is Vice President of Seoul Convention Bureau, within Seoul Tourism Organization. Although not Korean looking at all, she’s been the driving force that helped put Seoul on the meetings map. Here she tells us more about what makes Seoul a great destination and how associations can benefit from it.

Text Marcel A.M. Vissers

HQ: Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers? You do not look really Korean…

Maureen O’Crowley: I am indeed a bit non-traditional, but actually, I am much more Korean than I appear. Even my colleagues often tease me that I am more Korean then they are.

And for good reason - Seoul was my home before many of them were even born! I spent two golden years of my youth living in the Korean capital when my U.S. Military father was stationed here in the early 1970’s. And my heart has belonged to Seoul ever since. My tourism career began soon after in Los Angeles in 1977 with much of it related to my adopted homeland. In addition to operating my own retail travel agency, I also held positions with the LA branch offices of Korean Air and the Korea Tourism Organization before relocating to Korea to join the Seoul Tourism Organization upon its establishment in 2008.

HQ: What makes Seoul a great association destination? What are its added values?

Maureen O’Crowley: Seoul is a destination striving to raise awareness of its expertise and

HEADQUARTERS 14 Maureen O’Crowley

capabilities as a business events destination. In some ways, we can still be considered a relatively new meetings destination as we have hovered slightly under the radar. It’s somewhat surprising that Seoul has tended to remain a bit like a well kept secret.

Seoul is a great association destination that provides a fresh alternative for associations. Korea’s capital is a vibrant one that brings vitality to any meeting. Certainly we can’t be labeled a ‘been there, done that’ destination. We have a strong infrastructure in place - beginning with great accessibility via the Incheon International Airport - which was just recently award Best Airport for the seventh consecutive year by Airport Council International, an extensive network of affordable public transportation, an impressive convention center and other multipurpose meeting venues plus a wide range of hotels to meet the needs of association meetings and other business events.

Seoul has played host to three significant global events beginning with the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) of 2000, the Seoul G-20 Summit of 2010 and this year’s Nuclear Summit Seoul, a virtual ‘Grand Slam’ of the meetings industry which clearly established its credentials as a destination capable of handling highly sophisticated events with demanding logistics and security requirements and equally qualified service providers. This combination provides associations with true confidence in Seoul as a destination.

> CO V ER IN T ER V IE W

Seoul

COEX

HQ: Is the competition fierce in the Asian meetings industry? Is it a mature industry already?

Maureen O’Crowley: There are many worthy destinations and one must always stay on top of their game to remain competitive in order to deliver a stellar meeting experience.

I believe the Asian MICE industry is still very much an emerging one and due to the fierce competition, fast becoming a formidable one at that.

Cities Initiative. Formed in 2011, FCCI brought together the (7) member cities of Abu Dhabi, Durban, London, San Francisco, Seoul, Sydney and Toronto in a collaboration designed to shape and accelerate the strategic development of our business events industries. We consider ourselves to be a ‘new generation’ of convention leaders: with the aim to use the latest technology, innovation and research to increase the economic benefits of business events.

Seoul is a destination striving to raise awareness of its expertise and capabilities as a business events destination

HQ: Tell us a little bit about associations based in Korea.

Maureen O’Crowley: Seoul’s strong suit presently lies in the increasing number and strength of Korea’s national associations with links to major international ones and a growing number of international ones establishing a Korea base. Korea now has the 15th largest global economy - one with increasing emphasis on an expanding knowledge economy. With Seoul as the capital city and a major hub that bridges NE Asia, it is at the centre of all the action in Korea’s business, cultural, educational and political scene. Korea has emerged as a powerful innovative leader in the fields of finance, technology, science and medicine and we expect to see further growth in related associations. We are fortunate that within these advanced industries we have a core group of dedicated and committed association members that make great ambassadors for Seoul.

The establishment of the Seoul Convention Bureau, a division of the Seoul Tourism Organization in 2008, brought new vigor to our city and industry by creating a support system to provide services to associations and business event planners looking to host events in Seoul.

From the beginning, we set an ambitious goal of attaining 5th place on one of the major industry annual rankings by the year 2015. We established the Seoul MICE Alliance - a group of (72) stakeholders that together strive to attract MICE events and develop products to strengthen Seoul’s competitiveness. The efforts paid off quickly; we attained our 5th place ranking on the UIA list for 2010 and held our position for the second consecutive year.

On the global front, Seoul was a driving force behind the creation of the Future Convention

HQ: According to you, what are the latest trends in the association market?

Maureen O’Crowley: As for us in Asia, I see trends emerging in terms of association membership. One trend is the growing number

Incheon International Airport

of associations being formed while established associations are now seeing an increasing ratio of Asian members. Perhaps a more influential trend is the increasing number of Asians, Koreans included, that are now not only active in regional and international associations, but taking proactive roles and climbing the ranks within associations to take leadership roles. I see these as positive trends that will place more importance on the hosting of events within the Asia Pacific region. Seoul also recognizes a growing preference for mixed use/integrated convention facilities and has a major expansion project in the works.

HQ: What are your personal favorites about Seoul?

Maureen O’Crowley: Whenever I give Seoul presentations, I always like to share the history of the establishment of the Korean capital.

It dates back to 1392 when the King ordered his geomancers to find a location with the required amount of energy from the wind, water and land suitable for his newly founded Joseon Dynasty. They selected Seoul, and declared it the one place on the Korean peninsula with enough energy for a royal kingdom. I love that today’s Seoul still exudes that energy discovered so long ago. It’s an intriguing city of contrasts - with five ancient Royal palaces sitting peacefully in the shadows of modern skyscrapers. It’s an exciting city where you can enjoy traditional snacks from quaint street vendors, savor a delicious Korean bbq dinner or enjoy elegant fine dining. It’s a city that never sleeps. Koreans are a fun loving people and Seoul is an entertaining city of 10 million citizens with culture bursting at the seams! www.miceseoul.com

HEADQUARTERS 15

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HQ > ma l a y sia

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Enhancing Delegate Experience

Being responsive to clients’ needs with flexible, but unique product offerings that can be customised and adapted to the changing business environment and economic landscape has been fundamental to the seven-year old Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre’s (the Centre) success to date.

Faster connectivity, for free With technology and social media gaining traction within the meetings industry, delegates now expect their Wi-Fi for free.

In line with the Government’s call to get the federal capital all ‘Wi-Fi-ed up’, the Centre has upped its Wi-Fi connection to 40MB to offer guests faster connectivity at no cost on a best effort basis.

Upping the game with new signature experiences The Centre has also expanded its very successful “We Have A Deal For You” (WHAD) of flexible and innovative value-add packages that cater to different requirements and budgets with enhanced signature experiences…DCPs with a Difference, TenOnCall PLUS, 5-Star Banqueting, Snack on Arrival and an enhanced Cultural Showcase.

In DCPs with a Difference, ‘grudge’ purchases have been incorporated into the Day Conference Package and sweetened with unrivalled audio-visual (A/V) support including a complimentary Notebook, presentation pointer, lapel and wireless microphones, DVD player and laptop interfaces, complemented by enhanced F&B offerings of sorbet ice-cream, pastries and yoghurt.

TenOnCall PLUS extends the popular TenOnCall to three more function areas. Varying in size, each boasts their own unique environment such as natural lighting, dedicated private meeting room and smoking area and, free-flow lifestyle cuisine and beverage.

For those wanting a unique and exclusive banqueting experience, 5-Star Banqueting goes the extra mile with value-adds like customised menus, foyer decoration of sway

cloth drapes and ice-cravings, butler service for VIP tables and silver service while Snack on Arrival affords busy clients a complimentary quick bite, complete with a steaming cup of coffee or tea and one of the Centre’s famed ‘energiser shots’ for a great start to their day!

The Centre is committed to continuously address the needs and demands of clients by improving and enhancing its product offerings, innovatively Under the Centre’s Conventions Value-Add Programme, event planners of international association meetings above 500 pax enjoy a complimentary programme worth an estimated RM100,000 (USD31,447) that includes a unique Cultural Showcase of eight Malaysian arts and crafts. This showcase has been enhanced with three new elements - hennapainting, Chinese calligraphy and 10 complimentary tickets to the iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers Sky Bridge, the latter applicable to confirmed conventions only.

Continuing clientcentric focus

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

Henna painting

As Kuala Lumpur city’s and Malaysia’s leading convention facility, the Centre is committed to continuously address the needs and demands of clients by improving and enhancing its product offerings, innovatively. The signature experiences reflect this client-centric focus to constantly strive to deliver more value and benefits to clients. www.klccconventioncentre.com

5-Star Banqueting

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HQ > BRISBANE

BRISBANE FROM THE AIR

Bright Brisbane Australia’s New World City Last year we visited Brisbane right after the flooding and realized that, in a very short time, all the people of Brisbane had come together as a community to rebuild the city, to make it beautiful again. This year we went back and saw the city has emerged stronger than ever.

Report Cécile Caiati-Koch

Brisbane has branded itself ‘the New World City’: it indeed has experienced its development rather recently and is on its way to level with Melbourne or Sydney... But it’s still a city where you can go around easily, by foot, by citycat or even by bike if you are a bit more sporty. Brisbane could also be called the city of the good life as a lot of emphasis has obviously been laid on a good balance between work and play.

Annabel Sullivan, Brisbane Marketing

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Convention Bureau Director, puts it like this: ‘Brisbane is fresh, friendly and forward thinking with a self-assured energy that any growing global city exudes. What’s unique about Brisbane is the feeling of unity across all corners of the business events community, which we call Team Brisbane.’ Investments have also been made in order to develop the city’s (and the state’s) economy. The goal? To enhance Brisbane’s international reputation as a diverse, energized and vibrant global city.

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, the boutique expansion In the Southbank area, the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre inaugurated its new extension, a kind of boutique meeting centre, rightly called BCEC on Grey Street. ‘Dramatic’, ‘stunning’ are the right words to describe the facade of the new building cleverly

designed by Brisbane based architects, Cox Rayner: 85% of it made of glass, which reveals a vista of open spaces and natural light.

BCEC has now three stand alone tiered auditoria to accommodate from 200 to 8,000 people, 44 meeting rooms and some beautiful function spaces. All in all, there are also three Speakers’ presentation facilities, completely soundproof and fully networked. In total the building has seen a 52% increase of its meeting spaces. The new extension is really boutique style, from the design of the carpets to that of the lights in the function rooms. A lot of terraces surround the meeting and function rooms: given the subtropical climate, this will be much appreciated, I’m sure. One terrace deserves a special compliment: the one next to the Sky Room with unobstructed river and city views.

> BRISBANE

Brisbane has branded itself ‘the New World City’: it indeed has experienced its development rather recently and is on its way to level with Melbourne or Sydney BCEC on Grey Street

positioned as Australia’s powerhouse city with a growing international profile.

BCEC has developed its Advocates Partnership in order to put science forward. The importance and merit of harnessing academia, research and business events for the economic and intellectual advancement of Brisbane is the idea lying beneath. The centre strongly believes that through this Partnership Brisbane can showcase itself as a hub of science to the international community and promote its potential as a destination for international events.

BCEC has created a cell, managed by Alison Gardiner, within its organization that is totally dedicated to nurture the intellectual community. The Convention Advocates Partnership recognizes the achievements of this particular group of professionals and draws on their knowledge and international leadership to develop future opportunities in the evolvement of Brisbane as a popular location for scientific and research sector communities.

I had the opportunity to meet two internationally renowned professors and talk with them about Brisbane’s future.

BCEC has been thought out to accommodate different type of clients, therefore a diversity of spaces has been incorporated. As Bob O’Keeffe, CEO of BCEC, explained: ‘The scientific sectors tend to have smaller and medium-sized conferences but they have a higher priority for technical and AV skills to be provided, the latest equipment and the most up-to-date technology.’

Clever city and advocates partnership Not only is Brisbane doing well on an economic level, but it is also now clearly

Brisbane

fast facts + An average of 7.9 daily hours of sunshine across the year + Unique pre and post touring opportunities, such Moreton Bay or Brisbane’s Scenic Rim + Brisbane Marketing Convention Bureau, a free one-stop-shop of support services + Brisbane Airport conveniently located just 20 minutes away + Brisbane’s compact city centre easily accessible + Exceptional accommodation options with 37,000 beds and 13,000 guest rooms + Vibrant schedule of special events from fashion and sports to performing arts

BCEC

fast facts + New expansion designed specifically for small and medium sized conferences + A total of 44 meeting rooms including three stand alone tiered auditoria, accommodating events of all sizes from 8 to 8,000 people + Total combined floor area will be 171,000 m2 + 20,000 m2 of dedicated exhibition space + 27 hotels within two kilometres of the Centre including two directly adjacent to the Centre + Home of Australia’s first dedicated Tasting Room in a convention centre

Irish Professor Frank Gannon, director and CEO of Queensland Institute of Medical Research, came to Brisbane recently. He strongly believes that, as a researcher, you cannot work in isolation and medical conventions are the way to go. He told us how the Partnership also incubates various ideas about meetings as such: to him, the future may lie in specialized meetings (the elite scientific meetings) rather than the super large congresses. And ‘speed-dating meetings’ are to him also an option.

with 10 to 15 key speakers will bring quality experience for the attendees.

For him the reasons to participate in the Advocates Partnership are twofold: it will give way to new international research programs and, as science has grown exponentially in the last ten years, it will bring synergy and provide mechanism to establish collaborative links between scientists.

Professor Rajiv Khanna, director of the Australian Centre for Vaccine Development, also agrees that smaller meetings

More information www.bcec.com.au www.brisbanemarketing.com.au

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There’s nothing like A ustralia to inspire the world’s grea te st minds

This year we chose Australia for our global congress. It was an easy choice, as Australia’s proximity to Asia gave us the opportunity to attract many new delegates.

The program was one of the best in years.

New Australian developments in our field attracted a lot of interest and strong international research partnerships were established.

Australia is on everyone’s list to visit, and it lured our highest number of delegates yet.

There’s no doubt they’ll be talking about this convention for years to come.

Dr Louise Wong International Board Member Visit businessevents.australia.com/associations for everything you need to plan your Australian event.

HQ

> AUSTRALIA

nothing like Australia

there’s for a convention with the wow factor Australia is known as one of the world’s top destinations for conventions and conferences, ranking eleventh place in the world for association meetings by the International Congress and Convention Association.

Great Barrier Reef

Delegates who visit Australia return time and time again citing that Australians are warm and welcoming hosts who stage outstanding events that exceed expectations.

Whether they visit Melbourne’s six-star green rated Convention and Exhibition Centre or take in Sydney’s iconic Opera House and surrounding venues, the experience is certain to be memorable. The country’s already sophisticated event infrastructure is constantly being upgraded. In Brisbane alone, an AUD$140 million expansion of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre opened in January 2012 and features a 25,000 square metre expansion and some of Brisbane’s most impressive dining venues including the Sky Room and Terrace with views of the city skyline.

To bring to life a convention in Australia, we have profiled two recent and upcoming events, one in the country’s capital city

Canberra and the other in Tropical North Queensland’s thriving city of Cairns.

Coral Reef System Conference 2012

Hughes said. The Symposium, now in its 12th year, brings together 2,500 scientists, students, natural resource managers, policy makers and conservationists from 80 countries around the world.

Where better to hold the largest global forum for discussing coral reef science, management and conservation than the gateway to the world’s largest coral reef system? Cairns, the gateway to The Great Barrier Reef, is a city home to 150,000 people and some of the world’s leading reef scientists including Professor Terry Hughes from James Cook University - the symposium convenor.

‘The Symposium gives Australia an opportunity to showcase our global leadership across a range of scientific areas related to marine biology. These are areas where Australian scientists really do punch above their weight, and this makes Australia a logical choice to host this event,’ Professor

Cairns

HEADQUARTERS 21

> AUSTRALIA Close to 2,000 talks will be given by Australian and international experts who are renowned for their cutting-edge research. Many of these talks will be led

by Queensland based University for the Tropics through its ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. The Centre cements Australia’s leading contribution to coral reef sciences and collaborates with major partners and leading institutions in nine countries. Collectively, the Centre is the world’s largest concentration of coral reef scientists. The event will mark the third time Australia has been selected to host the International Coral Reef Symposium, after hosting in both 1974 and 1988.

Dr Bob Richmond, President of the International Society of Reef Studies, the organisation which convenes the series, believes Australia is the perfect destination for the event as it offers delegates opportunities to explore Australia’s reef ecosystem. ‘The University’s intellectual standing and organisational capabilities, combined with the opportunity for delegates to explore Australia’s coral reef ecosystems, are exceptional,’ Dr Richmond said.

The World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef is composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and stretches across 2,600 kilometres and 900 islands. Over 1,500 species of fish call the reef home, representing 10% of the world’s fish species.

Sydney

Australia is a world leader in many respects including economic and political stability, innovation and technology. The Australian economy has proved to be one of the most resilient during the recent global financial crisis. And, it was the recent global financial turmoil that set the scene for the 6th annual Asia-Pacific

HEADQUARTERS 22

New Parliament House, Canberra

Canberra Convention Centre

Economic and Business History Conference held in Canberra this February.

As Australia’s capital city, Canberra provided the perfect venue for the conference. Canberra is home to the Australian National University’s (ANU’s) College of Business and Economics providing a concentration of academics in the field of economics and business history. The city that was originally built in 1913 specifically to be the country’s capital is also a draw card for leading economic historians.

Delegates who visit Australia return time and time again citing that Australians are warm and welcoming hosts who stage outstanding events that exceed expectations.

Making economic history: Asia-Pacific Economic and Business History Conference 2012, Canberra

War Memorial, Canberra

During the conference, the Noel Butlin Archives Centre was officially opened

by Secretary to the Treasury, Dr Martin Parkinson. The Centre houses a significant collection of primary source material relating to business and labour, a valuable source for both conference delegates and Canberra’s community. The Centre is named in honour of Australia’s most celebrated economic historian.

In addition to the Centre’s launch, 65 conference delegates from 15 countries enjoyed a series of presentations from specialists around the world.

They discussed and compared regional knowledge and experience on the theme of economic integration. Delegates took the opportunity to network with their peers and enjoy Canberra’s attractions including a series of world-class exhibitions on display in Canberra at the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library of Australia, Parliament House and The Australian War Memorial.

As these two events demonstrate, Australia has a world-class pool of talent and speakers that can make any convention or conference informative, motivating and memorable. The country is home to some of the world’s leading medical, technology and financial services innovators who are readily available to speak at business events and conferences. Australia also has a burgeoning creative and arts community including artists, performers and musicians that can add a unique and exciting element to any conference or event.

To learn more about Australia visit www.businesseventsaustralia.com/associations

HQ > TAIWAN

TAIWAN

Working on a sustainable meeting future In line with the Green Meeting Industry Council’s advice for green meetings, Taiwan has been working quite hard on sustainability, with, for example, the Taiwan MICE Mobile Application Platform that Taiwanese MICE businesses may utilize free of charge. Venues such as the Nangang Exhibition Hall, Kaohsiung World Trade Center, Kaohsiung World Games Stadium, etc. are also taking part through practical actions.

Turtle Island, Yilan County Government © Ming-ren Lin

APPS, GREEN & MORE

Green Regulations

Making information available on the Internet is a vital step in implementing green meetings. The Taiwan MICE Advancement Program recently developed the Taiwan MICE Mobile Application Platform, which is being comprehensively promoted in 2012 to various professional organizers. Through the links formed by social groups and the immediacy of the Internet, visitors will be able to convene, share information and exciting news about events taking place in Taiwan in virtually no time.

A meld of modern technology and green architecture, the Kaohsiung World Trade Center, whose opening is expected in 2014, has obtained a Green Building candidacy certificate in seven indicators: greenness, water reserve, energy saving, reduction of CO2 emission, indoor environment, water resource, and improvement on sewage and garbage.

International conferences that have used or are about to utilize this service include, among others, the 22nd Regional Congress of the International Society Blood Transfusion (ISBT Taipei 2011), the 21st International Conference on Management of Technology (IAMOT 2012), the 21st Annual Wireless & Optical Communications Conference, the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) 8th Asia Pacific & Middle East Regional Conference, and the 8th Asia Pacific Symposium on Neural Regeneration (APSNR) in conjunction with the 5th Pan Pacific Symposium on Stem Cells and Cancer Research (PPSSC).

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In 2010, the MICE Event Carbon Footprint Research Project was launched at the Nangang Exhibition Hall. The exhibition hall’s hardware facilities were diagnosed and analyzed for energy conservation in accordance with ISO 14064 protocol so as to gradually achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. In addition, the architecture of Kaohsiung World Games Stadium, completed in 2009, abides by energy conservation, waste reduction, ecological, and health-oriented design concepts. It has also received gold grade Green Building certification in nine indicators.

Case study: 34th Asia Pacific Dental Congress (APDC) Last June, the 34th Asia Pacific Dental Congress (APDC) took place to great success at the Taipei International Conference Center.

The Congress was hosted by the Asia Pacific Dental Federation, one of the five regional organizations of the FDI World Dental Federation. Over 80 speakers from across the Asia Pacific region and more than 3,700 delegates from 29 countries attended. The Congress also served as the 18th Annual Scientific Meeting & General Assembly of Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of China (ADS-ROC).

34th Asia Pacific Dental Congress

EXPO Dome © Chi-Ming Lin

Sun Moon Lake

Within the process of organizing this year’s APDC, the GIS Group, a professional conference organization, won the bid to carry out venue setup and organize the social programs. GIS designed and installed various visual elements of the Congress, including conceptual centerpieces, banners, posters, and even the staff’s polo shirts. For the social programs it liaised among venue owners, the APDC committee, and performance groups.

Dr. Hermogenes Villareal, Past President of the Asia Pacific Dental Federation, Asia Pacific Regional Organization, testified: ‘I believe as the immediate past president, Dr. Tim Yang has equally place a 34th APDC on a benchmark of therefore exceeded the successful 33rd Asia Pacific Dental Congress we’re in.’

iNfRAStRuCtuRE uPdAtE In line with a new trend of international conferences and events being hosted in special venues, unconventional special facilities in Taiwan are being made available. Here is a selection of them.

Songshan Cultural & Creative Park In Songshan Cultural & Creative Park, originally Songshan Tobacco Factory, you can combine tradition with creativity. In the courtyard is a Baroque-style garden ideal for hosting reception cocktail parties or welcoming banquets. Taipei World Design Expo 2011 utilized the facility as its exhibition space.

Flora Exposition, is another example of how an old, fascinating location can be reutilized.

Well connected by an efficient public transportation system, it’s surrounded with culture and entertainment, with the Taipei Museum of Fine Arts, National Palace Museum, Shilin Night Market, Grand Hotel, and so on, all around, just to name a few.

than 1322 m2 of outdoor areas, besides providing a space for world renowned art and cultural performances,. An example of a creative use of this exhibition space is how Louis Vuitton hosted a fashion party with more than 2,000 attendees in the Main Plaza during the grand opening of its flagship store in Taipei.

More info on www.meettaiwan.com

Huashan 1914 Creative Park At the time of its construction in 1914 the largest wine factories in Taiwan, it was renamed Huashan 1914 Creative Park in 1999 and defined as a park for creative design workshops and exhibitions. Filled with history and architectural wonders, the park is divided into outdoor and indoor areas., which allows total flexibility for event planning. For example, there are large exhibition spaces which exceed 3300 m2, while smaller venues can also be found for medium-to-small events.

SPOT-Taipei Film House Formerly the residence of the U.S. Ambassador in Taipei, this Western-style two-story building was constructed in 1926 and now houses the SPOT cinema, exhibition hall, multifunctional art lobby, and an outdoor garden café to accommodate a maximum of 100 to 200 people. Due to its excellent location near several five-star hotels, international boutique streets, and a Taipei MRT stop, it provides both meeting and shopping functionality.

Flora EXPO Dome

National Theater and Concert Hall Plaza: A Platform for Arts and Culture

The Flora EXPO Dome, which made a dazzling entry during the 2010 Taipei International

A world-class performance art centre, the National Theater & Concert Hall has more

Taipei Songshan Airport: the Capital’s Business Airport In April 2012, Taipei Songshan Airport launched the beginning of direct flights to Seoul Gimpo Airport. It already launched official direct flights with Shanghai Hongqiao Airport and Tokyo Haneda Airport in 2010, so this completes the Northeast Asia Golden Flight Circuit. These connections will save land transportation time for business travelers flying between Taipei City and the three other cities, making Taipei a more convenient place to do business.

HEADQUARTERS 25

HQ > QATAR

Qatar

The birth of a new country

Qatar National Convention Centre

Doha

How is a new city or country born? It’s always an extraordinary story. And in the case of the Gulf state of Qatar it is definitely one. In 1952, the country only had deserts, Bedouins, fishermen, pearl divers and camels.

In 1972, oil and gas were found and changed everything. Now, change is happening every day. Qatar is now one of the richest countries in the world.

It hasn’t taken long for it to be a prime meetings destination as well.

Text Marcel A.M. Vissers

THIS IS WHAT THE HISTORY BOOKS TELL US In 1930, Qatar was going through a rough period: poverty, disease and starvation dominated the picture. In 1952 the first school opened. Qatar is a young country that became independent in 1970. It’s an emirate and has known peace and stability for a long period of time. It is also the first gulf state where women were allowed to vote (1999).

Most people know it to be a peninsula and it’s one of the smallest but richest countries in the Arab world. The largest natural treasure are the dunes that can rise up to 60 meters high. Hunting with falcons and hawks is a national sport.

At present, Qatar is undergoing a big metamorphosis. It now has the best schools, hospitals and research centers in the world. And yet, what few people know is that Qatar and its capital Doha have become one of the key meetings

HEADQUARTERS 26

destinations in the Gulf. If you have a lot of money, good things will come to you.

And that is something that interests us.

A CONGRESS CENTRE AS AN ICONIC DRIVING FORCE To become a recognizable meetings destination, two conditions have to be fulfilled: one must have a purpose-built convention centre (which Qatar gladly boasts) and a good convention bureau.

In December 2011, the palace gates of the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) opened to the public. The structure rests entirely on the (artificial) branches of a giant, iconic sidra tree, a work of art that has no equal in the world of convention architecture.

Designed by renowned Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, the artwork consists of a 250 metre long, curved steel tree structure reaching up to support the exterior canopy. I can safely say the new centre is

the newest and most advanced convention facility in the region. Whoever walks into it is immediately enthralled by the 10-metre high work of Louise Bourgeois, an image of a spider ‘Maman’.

And then they haven’t even seen the large meetings spaces. With a 2,300 seat lyric theatre, three auditoria, a multipurpose conference hall for 4,000 guests, 40,000 m2 of exhibition space and 52 meeting rooms, the Centre can accommodate 27,000 people in the venue at the same time. QNCC is also the first of its kind built to the gold certification of the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED).

DESTINATION IN THE MAKING In Doha, they know perfectly well that a state-of-the-art convention centre does not make a meetings destination by itself. Delegates want to see something of the environment and experience the local culture. They want to know what a country under construction is doing. It is for these reasons that the city created a partnership between QNCC, museums, hotels, airlines, DMCs and PCOs. This cooperation may later result in a convention bureau.

> QATAR

A good introduction to the Qatari culture is Katara or ‘the Cultural Village’, a prestigious project that brings culture, art and cuisine together. Venues to visit include: the Qatar Photographic Society, the Visual Art Centre, the Falconer Centre, Al Jazeera Broadcasting, the Qatar Music Academy and the Qatar Fine Art Society.

Katara can also be a possible venue to host a cultural reception in during a conference and can accommodate 1000+ delegates. Two museums are definitely worth a visit: the Museum of Islamic Art (where a 200-seat auditorium and a five star restaurant are due to open soon) and the Arab Museum of Modern Art. Doha tries to combine tradition with modern lifestyle. Tradition is abundant in Souq Waqif. There is a maze of stone-clad alleyways, lined with dozens of small

Katara

shops, cafés and restaurants. I myself ended up in the shop of Saad Ismail AL. Jassim, the old Pearl Diver as they call him. And as is the custom in all of the Gulf states, no trip to Doha would be complete without a visit to the desert.

The dunes of Qatar make even strong men tremble. W Doha and Gulf Adventures can set up a camp in the desert where you can have a memorable traditional dinner.

Sidra Tree

MORE INFO Irette Ferreira Sales Manager, International Qatar National Convention Centre iferreira@qatarconvention.com

>> The Sidra Tree story The sidra tree is native to Qatar and flourishes in the country's harsh desert climate.

Traditionally, poets, scholars and travelers would gather in the shade of the branches to exchange knowledge and opinions. This tree occupies a special position in the hearts of the Qatari people, and is an appropriate symbol for the Qatar Foundation. In Qatar Foundation's logo, the three sections of the tree's trunk relate to the tripartite mission of education, scientific research and community development.

Museum of Islamic Art

HEADQUARTERS 27

HQ > IBTM

IBTM Global Meetings Industry Research March 2012 A bright present, a brighter future The latest Global Meetings Industry Research report for the Gulf, Middle East and North African region, which was launched in March at the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings exhibition (GIBTM), pointed to buyers and event organisers looking at increasing the volume of events, with a large number also looking at increasing their budgets for the region.

Since the Middle East Meetings research was undertaken in 2011 the scope of the research has been widened to cover the global IBTM portfolio with the aim of providing exhibitors and visitors with the information they need on the key areas for target clients and trends in destination use for meetings and events.

The main focus is to obtain information on buying trends and the major issues affecting destination choice from year to year. It looks at where business is coming from and where it is going to, in terms of which regions, countries and states.

Presented by Sally Greenhill of The Right Solution and Rob Nicholas of meetme, the results of the research indicated that 48.2 % of Middle East buyers and 47.2 % of Global buyers said that they organised more events in the last 12 months as compared with the previous year, 64.5 % and 56.4 % respectively said that they are even looking at further increasing that volume. Supporting such an increase in the volume of events are 53.7 % of Middle East buyers and another 46.4 % of Global buyers indicating an increase in their budgets in the next 12 months.

HEADQUARTERS 28 Sally Greenhill

Highlights Sally Greenhill says: ‘This year the top country for Middle East buyers remained the UAE with Dubai the most popular emirate as it has been since 2007 when the research began (56% of buyers active in the region had held events there).

However Abu Dhabi is ‘closing the gap’ and gaining market share all the time.

The session I chaired at GIBTM discussed the difference in room rates between Dubai and Abu Dhabi and how this is likely to help Abu Dhabi continue to increase gaining meetings and conferences, particularly since the increase in supply and available room stock is now well suited to large events. Dubai was the destination with the most events with budgets of over $100,000. Competitive rates, intelligent pricing and added value were the top issues seen to have impact on increasing meetings and events business this year together with innovative products and new destinations entering the market. The new convention centre in Qatar is already affecting the association market and the development of the centre in Muscat will also have significant impact.’

> IBTM

For the first time ever, Sally Greenhill’s research shows that the association business is growing in Asia and the Gulf. This year’s results clearly show that the market share of the association and congress business is becoming important The other countries that had ‘moved up the rankings’ this year were Saudi Arabia and Lebanon with the more traditional destinations of Egypt and Morocco seeing reduced popularity, most probably due to political unrest in Egypt. Middle East Buyers were really optimistic about the next 12 months with 65% predicting increase in the volume of events they organise, a noticeable difference to the 56% buyers in the US from the very latest IBTM research launched at AIBTM 20th June.

As Sally put it: ‘It was particularly interesting to see where delegates were coming from for events in the Middle East with the UK and Asia producing the most delegates outside the region itself. There was a noticeable increase in delegates

from India in particular, real evidence of the growing mobility of those in India to conferences.’

With the survey results showing that the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai) continues to top the list of ten countries that both Middle East and Global buyers hold such events, factors such as competitive rates, added value, intelligent pricing, innovative products, new destinations, wow factor, economic recovery, political stability, regional security, visas, airlift and airport taxes, are seen to have the most impact in increasing meetings and events business in a specific destination.

www.gibtm.com

Top 10 countries for Global buyers

Last 12 months

Last 12 months

UAE (Dubai & Abu Dhabi) - Saudi Arabia Lebanon - Egypt - Turkey - Thailand Jordan - India - Malaysia

Dubai - USA - China - Italy - France - UK Spain - Abu Dhabi - India - Germany

Growth for next 12 months

Growth for next 12 months

India - Thailand - Malaysia - Turkey - Sri Lanka - Bangladesh - Maldives - France Japan

India - USA - Singapore - Thailand - Italy UK - France - China - Germany - Macao

Buyers event types

By volumes of events

Budget change for next twelve months 33,1% 51,9%

35,2%

27,8%

23,2%

20,4%

Gulf, Middle east & North African buyers

41,6%

Global buyers

Product launches

40,8%

Entertainment, sporting, special

42,3%

Exhibtions

58,5%

Conventions, Congresses

65,5%

Incentive Travel

Meetings

76,8%

+ In 2011, 58.5% of events organised by buyers were the conventions and congresses-reflecting a significant increase in this category. + The top ten countries for Middle East buyers during the past 12 months were the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Thailand, Jordan, India, and Malaysia + In the next 12 months, Middle East buyers see growth in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, France, Japan, and the UK

Top 10 countries for Middle East buyers

By volumes of events

At a glance

More

+ The top ten countries for Global buyers during the past 12 months were UAE, the USA, China, Italy, France, the UK, Spain, India, and Germany + In the next 12 months, Global buyers see growth in India, the USA, Singapore, Thailand, Italy, the UK, France, China, Germany, and Macao + Top ten industry sectors for MENA events are Oil and gas, Pharmaceutical, Finance and Banking, Training and Education, Electronics and Communications, Construction and Engineering, Hospitality, Food and Tobacco, IT and Computing, Manufacturing, and transport/retail/automotive/ cosmetics + The top five markets for MENA region are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and Kuwait

Same Less

HEADQUARTERS 29

HQ > CIBTM

What’s in store for CIBTM Jeffrey Xu is Exhibition Director for CIBTM - part of the IBTM Event Portfolio the China Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition that has been around since 2005. He discusses what’s in store for this year’s show.

Jeffrey Xu

HQ: To what extent is this year’s edition different to last year’s?

Jeffrey Xu: This year, CIBTM has formed strategic partnerships with Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), The Society for Incentive Travel Executives (SITE), The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and Meetings Professionals International to deliver a dedicated education stream to all attendees of the show, CIBTM 2012 is also extending the show profile beyond the meetings and events industry to incorporate the world of Business Travel. Exhibitors and buyers who already operate in this field will benefit from new possibilities and increased return on investment through new specialist suppliers and buyers that are being introduced through this extension.

HQ: How has CIBTM changed over the years? What are you most proud of?

Jeffrey Xu: CIBTM was launched in 2005 and is the pioneering event for the MICE industry in that region. It is dedicated to creating opportunities for companies looking to do business with China and to establish it as the gateway to the region’s meetings industry. In 2006 Amway China produced what has been considered the world’s largest incentive group for a meeting in Australia - this quickly established China as proof of just how big the potential was.

CIBTM has created an annual forum that delivered business opportunities, professional education and networking events critical to the development of the meetings sector. The audience attending CIBTM has steadily grown year on year, and so has the thirst for knowledge and information on the MICE sector. The education programme continues to deliver international speakers who present to hundreds of delegates at each session. Last year some 45 Chinese sat the first industry professional CMP exams another sign of the influence that CIBTM has had on the growth of the sector.

One of the key advantages of the MICE industry in China is the sheer size of the country, the choice of locations, the culture and history HQ: Can you update us on the state of the Chinese meetings market at present?

Jeffrey Xu: China is now the 2nd largest economy in the world, which is stable, dynamic and fast-growing. As a country with a swiftly growing meetings market both inbound and outbound it plays a significant role in many industry sectors.

All of the key industry players around the world see China as pivotal to their business development. One of the key advantages of the MICE industry in China is the sheer size of the country, the choice of locations, the culture and history. Of course outbound it is still one of the largest ‘untapped’ resources of business for the rest of the world.

HQ: Where do your Hosted Buyers come from?

Jeffrey Xu: Last year’s CIBTM saw over 300 senior level Hosted Buyers attend the show from around the world. According to post show research, 68% of respondents were interested in placing business with European exhibitors. CIBTM 2011’s pre show Hosted Buyer statistics revealed that over 200 Chinese Hosted Buyers were accepted before the show and around 100 international Hosted Buyers.

CIBTM is taking place in Beijing 12th – 14th September 2012.

More info on www.cibtm.com

HEADQUARTERS 30

The world’s next cure for cancer began life 600 years ago in a spice bazaar.

Spices have long been known for their curative properties. Traders from Arabia, India, China and Europe flocked here for spices and herbal remedies 600 years ago.

Today, over 90% of all modern pharmaceuticals are derived from extracts from flora endemic to tropical rainforests. And Malaysia is rapidly moving to the forefront of biosciences in the region.

At the very centre of Southeast Asia and mid-point between the two fast growing economies of China and India, Malaysia is the gateway of Asia. With a dynamic economy and English-speaking people with a progressive world-view, Malaysia is where the world is coming to meet new discoveries and ideas. World-class infrastructure, great value for money and a unique window to Asian cultures and hospitality make Malaysia the meetings and conventions nexus of Asia.

Malaysia - Asia’s Business Events Hub Scan this code to visit our website

MALAYSIA CONVENTION & EXHIBITION BUREAU (MyCEB) Suite 14.3, Level 14, Menara IMC, No. 8 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: +603 2034 2090 Fax: +603 2034 2091 Email: info@myceb.com.my Web: www.myceb.com.my

Incorporating Luxury Travel

IT&CM India

Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings India 21 - 23 August 2012 India Expo Centre & Mart, Delhi NCR, India

Unique MICE Business Platform The Latest IT&CM MICE Event In India That Promotes Inbound, Outbound and Domestic Business Opportunities Featuring An Equal Mix of International and Indian Exhibitor, Buyers and Media The First In The IT&CM Series To Incorporate Luxury Travel Embodies All The Proven IT&CM Programme Formats and Event Management Prowess Enhanced Programme Components With India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB)’s Conventions India Conclave (CIC)

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