Biz Events Asia August-September 2016

: N O I T I D E HE DUAL

G N I T E K R A M N O I T A N I T DES T N E M P O L E V E D T N E L & TA T

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This is

XI’AN

The Yongning Gate in Xi’an was the main access point to the ancient walled city, dating back to the 14th Century. Here a procession of women participate in a greeting ceremony to welcome an important guest. Traditions like these are handed down from generation to generation.

China’s Ancient Capital It’s not just the home of the Terracotta Army: Xi’an is steeped in history. It’s at the start of the Silk Road, so expect a heady mix of cultures, with Chinese ethnic minorities and islamic influences in architecture and cuisine. Walk along the magnificent city wall for a taste of ancient China, or visit the astonishing Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, which has stood for over a thousand years. Eat delicious and unique dishes like hand-stretched noodles, or immerse yourself in an ultra-modern city on the rise with unparalleled entertainment, nightlife, dining and shopping.

Find out more at http://en1.xian-tourism.com:81/

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Contact us at reservations-langco@angsana.com or +84 54 3695 800.

MAURITIUS MOROCCO ALD THAILAN LAOS VIETNAM INDIA INDONESIA AUSTRAL CHINA

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andrew chan guest editor

Location: InterContinental Singapore

Founder & CEO ACI HR Solutions andrew@acihr.com

thomas wai guest editor

Director, Asia Pacific Talent Plus Inc twai@talentplus.com

neeta lachmandas guest editor

Executive Director Institute of Service Excellence Singapore Management University neetal@smu.edu.sg

GINA SIN associate editor gina@bizeventsasia.com

EL KWANG MANAGING & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR | Co-owner el@bizeventsasia.com

Marine Debatte guest editor Head of Events Solutions, Asia Pacific & Japan BI Worldwide marine.debatte@sg.biworldwide.com Alex Paik guest editor

Director AP Communications apcomm@naver.com

Location: Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong

Biz Events Asia is published by Business & Tourism Publishing Asia Pte Ltd 51A Kreta Ayer Road, Singapore 089008 Tel: +65 6337 8781 Fax: +65 6337 9060 Email: hello@bizeventsasia.com Website: bizeventsasia.com

MANAGING & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR | publisher El Kwang el@bizeventsasia.com

Guest Editors Alex Paik apcomm@naver.com

Neeta Lachmandas

DIRECTOR Geoff Batt-Rawden geoff@bizeventsasia.com

Andrew Chan

twai@talentplus.com

andrew@acihr.com

associate editor Gina Sin gina@bizeventsasia.com

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Marine Debatte marine.debatte@ sg.biworldwide.com

neetal@smu.edu.sg

Thomas Wai

Contributing Editor Jennifer Salsbury jennifer@imcconventionsolutions.com

Kristie Thong

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION PIXO fanix@pixosolutions.com

Writer Ong Wenli wenli@bizeventsasia.com

OFFICE MANAGER Rev Karunakaran rev@bizeventsasia.com

contributor • Rob Cotter • Selene Chin

Editorial & Design Coordinator Chua Yi Kiat yikiat@bizeventsasia.com

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2016

#

WINDS OF CHANGE

In the blink of an eye, we are only five months away from the end of 2016. Like the business events industry, we experienced uncertainties brought on by the forces of macroeconomic changes. On some days, we are breathless.

The statement “staying strong in the face of adversity” made by Ho Yoke Ping, General Manager - Business Events of Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau inspired us to think and act creatively.

We have received enthusiastic responses from the survey we co-created with Zadro.

The responses grant us valuable insights into what readers want. Constant face-to-face conversations with global planners and industry thought leaders since the beginning of the year laid the foundation of our writing platforms. Our team’s new #OfficeAnywhere activities forced us to work amongst distractions skilfully.

WE ARE READY FOR CHANGE

In this dual-month edition, we took the leap of faith, along with our five guest editors, in presenting dual overarching themes: discussed crucial information event planners want and the need for the

business events industry to be recognised beyond tourism. above the Asia talent crunch and zoomed into the power of developing middle management; enabling talent to have a voice.

We collated efforts from diverse sources in the pursuit of sharing knowledge within a 27-page spread. We are giving the Chinese language section for this issue a rest while celebrating the return of Kristie Thong as Contributing Editor. She summarised the key learning points with Last Word on the final page of this edition.

Let us know if you like this change. And if you do, this format will be implemented in 2017, as we wait for you to vote for our overarching themes over the next two months.

Part of our change includes a brand new website. We aim to launch it by the time we publish the October 2016 edition.

Thank you for your opinion, and in the spirit of Jugaad (see page 56 to find out what it is), we hope you follow your heart whilst enjoying this edition.

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2016 BIZEVENTSASIA.COM

THE PULSE

Our cover image features the Sydney, Australia

OF ASIA FOR

BUSINESS EVENTS

EDITION:

THE DUAL MARKETING DESTINATION ELOPMENT & TALENT DEV

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

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Phot Jacq

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

The Amiris Co., Ltd Email: sirima@theamiris.com Tel: +66 81 822 3286

Charline Wong charline@bizeventsasia.com Michelle Choon michellechoon@bizeventsasia.com

REPRESENTATIVES CHINA: Mary Yao Email: mary@mhichina.com Tel: +86 10 6551 5663 ext 8008 Rahul Sequeira Email: rahul.sequeira@themediavantage.com Tel: +971 56 693 1213 Alexander Paik Email: apcomm@naver.com Tel: +82 10 5042 1337

Visit us online for regular updates throughout the month: bizeventsasia.com Privacy Policy: Business & Tourism Publishing Asia is committed to managing your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act. For a copy of our Privacy Policy, please go to bizeventsasia.com/privacy Printed in Singapore by Sunrise Printing & Supplies Pte Ltd. PPS 1785/04/2013 (022963) MCI (P) 125/01/2016

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CHINA

ibtm china Beijing, China | September 2016

JAPAN

International Conference on Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Osaka, Japan | September 2016

HONG KONG

Investment Solutions Forum Hong Kong | September 2016

MALAYSIA

International Conference on Production And Quality Management Kuching, Malaysia | October 2016

SINGAPORE

ITB Asia Singapore | October 2016

COVER STORY How Australia successfully marketed its destination to attract some of the most lucrative businesses.

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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

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

Damion Breust Head of Corporate Relations Asia Pacific Barclays

Selina Chavry Global Managing Director Pacific World

Daniel Chua Managing Director AONIA MICE

Andrew Chan CEO | ACI HR Solutions

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SOUTH KOREA

Worlds Leading Luxury Brands Seoul, South Korea | September 2016

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 16

ISSUE

THAILAND

IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific Bangkok, Thailand | September 2016

6 #SoundBites 10 #TakingTheLead 12 #FreshIdeas 40 #Talent Management Go beyond identifying and attracting the right talent

18 #Destination Marketing Which destination is doing it right and what do planners really need?

56 #Delve Into India One word defines a market as rich and complex as India

60 #Wired Up 30 #Delve Into Vietnam How the country has stepped up to get a larger slice of the incentive travel pie

Technology conferences making a big bang

62 #Knowledge How Iceland overcame adversities with a strong marketing strategy

64 #Associations AUSTRALIA

Tourism & Travel Summit Sydney, Australia | October 2016

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

Deanna Varga Assistant Director Commercial & Visitor Services Australian National Maritime Museum

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

34 #Delve Into Malaysia New and innovative venue and food & beverage offerings

Max Jantasuwan Group Managing Director Events Travel Asia

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

66 #OfficeAnywhere How Biz Events Asia fosters team spirit and inspire creativity

Daniel Aswin Co-founder Absolutions

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

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SPAIN My Association | My Club is set to return as part of this year’s association programme for hosted buyers attending ibtm world 2016 with plenty of new initiatives. Taking place in Barcelona from November 29 to December 1, 2016, ibtm world has upgraded the purpose of the Club to give the space and freedom for buyers to choose their own itinerary and industry experience. Attendees can expect specific and general education sessions from the Knowledge theatre, individual onsite support and a simple registration process, an association hub hotel, dedicated hosted buyer lounge areas with refreshments throughout the day and “huddles” – new this year with interactive campfire education sessions to drop by at ibtm world 2016.

INDIA

AccorHotels expands its luxury footprint in India to the city of Visakhapatnam with the launch of Varun Beach Bheemili Resort, a 28-room hotel overlooking the scenic Bay of Bengal. Situated within a former Dutch colony rich in history and culture, the resort offers five acres of outdoor space for team building activities and events. It also provides a 320-sq m conference hall for up to 100 pax theatre-style. A selection of dining outlets include The Square, an all-day dining restaurant; Infinity, an outdoor poolside diner; Water Bar, and Teppanyaki for a simple barbeque and grill. Recreational facilities include a rooftop infinity pool, the first for any resort or hotel along India’s East coast.

VIETNAM

Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers re-launched its 2,500 sq m of meeting spaces following a three-month renovation project that included the Grand Ballroom and 14 breakout rooms.

Inspired by the history and spirit of Saigon, the 1,080 sq m Grand Ballroom combines a rich colour palette and plush interior that is further enhanced by decorative elements, dynamic LED lighting and large venue projector screens.

The pillar-less space created by interior designers, Noor and Group8 Asia is part of the renovation of the hotel delivering a combination of Asian-inspired décor and advanced technology.

Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers offers food and beverage access to four restaurants as well as offsite catering options and Sheraton’s new “Innovation Meets Ideation” initiative.

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MALAYSIA Hyatt Regency Kinabalu in Sabah has launched The Residence, a residential styled, multi-functional event venue centred around a show kitchen. Located on the lobby level adjacent to Tanjung Ria Kitchen, the multi-purpose layout of The Residence will enable guests and event organisers alike to use the facility for various purposes, accommodating up to 160 guests seated, or up to 300 people when combined with Tanjung Ria Kitchen restaurant. The new facility exudes an aura of elegance and relaxation with its contemporary yet classic décor, complemented by natural daylight window panels. With show kitchens and multiple rooms, the focus is on one-on-one engagement with the guests and personalising the entire hotel experience. The Residence complements other newly renovated facilities of Tanjung Ria Kitchen restaurant, The Lounge, and The Poolside Bar.

CHINA

Diane Chen has been promoted to General Manager at the Shenyang New World EXPO, the newest exhibition and meeting venue in Northeast China set to open in September. Located in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning province, the EXPO includes 24,000 sq m of exhibition space and 4,000 sq m of convention, meeting and banquet space. Chen joined EXPO in June 2012 as the Director of Business Development on the pre-opening team before becoming the Deputy General Manager in September 2015. She holds a Master’s Degree in Business Strategy Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of Paris I, Panthéon-La Sorbonne, France.

THAILAND

The annual IT&CMA and CTW Asia Pacific trade show taking place in Bangkok from September 27 – 29, 2016 is set to connect more than 300 regional exhibitors with over 500 buyers from the MICE & Corporate Travel industries. New knowledge programmes, educational sessions and networking functions such as the Opening Ceremony, Welcome Dinner and the 15th Sticky Awards Luncheons and other late night functions will create opportunities to build connections. This year, Monaco has confirmed its presence as a destination exhibitor to introduce or update delegates with what the destination has to offer. Dedicated Association days will also become the ideal platform for NTOs and CVBs to share their destination capabilities with association executives.

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NUMBERS

65,000

The estimated number of jobs business events creates for the Victorian economy in Australia annually.

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# KOREA Korea ranks second globally and first in Asia for the number of global congresses hosted in 2015, according to the latest International Meetings Statistics Report by the Union of International Associations (UIA). Korea places second behind the USA with 891 meetings – a 40 percent increase from the previous year, and accounts for 7.5 percent of all meetings held worldwide across the same period. Also rising from the ranks, Seoul has moved from the fifth to third place in UIA’s city ranking, with 494 meetings held in 2015; a 98.4 percent increase over the 249 meetings hosted in 2014. Meanwhile, Busan, Korea’s second-largest city, attained a global city ranking of 11 with 150 meetings, while renowned UNESCO World Heritage resort island, Jeju, accounted for 112 of last year’s meetings, achieving a global city ranking of 19.

SINGAPORE Singapore is making strides towards becoming a technology hub with a slew of business events secured in various sector like information and medical technologies. Two pinnacle events in the field of Information Technology (IT) – the ISACA Cybersecurity Nexus (CSX) Asia Pacific in November 2016, and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) 100 meeting in November 2017 are set to bring in approximately 2,500 IT engineers and developers from all over the world to Singapore to explore initiatives on new internet framework development and cyber security structure enhancements for users worldwide. The city also secured contracts for events entering Southeast Asia for the first time, such as the Asia Pacific MedTech Forum in November 2016 and the 14th International Conference on Mobile Systems, Applications and Services (Mobisys) held in June 2016.

TAIWAN MEET TAIWAN launched an online to offline (O2O) Fam Tour programme in June 2016 to give 11 Chinese business events representatives a thorough introduction to Taiwan’s meetings, incentives, convention and events/ exhibition (MICE) resources, further building partnerships across the strait.

With technological advancement seen in the MICE sector from environmental protection to community engagement, the fam tour was designed as an upgraded version from last year. MEET

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Taiwan developed an “Ocean Challenge” Fam Tour App to encourage more interaction between the attendants and the environment around them.

Made exclusively for the fam tour’s participants, the App managed to gather information like itineraries, maps and database for tourist attractions all in one. This changed the traditional way of attending tour trips by encouraging team work and deeper participation through conquering challenges assigned by the App.

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FROM THE BUREAUX THAILAND The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has unveiled its strategy to attract mega-sized events in 2016 by allocating promotional budget for its “Thailand Big Thanks!” campaign.

This campaign was created to help drive the M&I sector through a financial subsidy scheme of up to two million baht for eligible Mega Size M&I events with more than 2,000 international

delegates staying at least three nights in the Kingdom of Thailand. Travel must take place in Thailand from now until December 31, 2017. Complementing this is the THAILAND CONNECT beyond THE CAPITAL package, presenting international corporate clients the opportunity to discover the diversity of Thailand with promotions from domestic airline partners including Thai Airways, Thai Smile Airways, and Bangkok

Airways. Requirements include a group size of more than 100 delegates, and staying in Thailand at least three nights. The organiser will receive transportation support of THB1,000 (USD28.7) per delegate, up to a maximum of 300,000 baht per group.

Applications are open until 30 September 2016, and travel must take place by December 31, 2016.

Seamless. Stylish. Variety The Westin Bund Center Shanghai officially received the Outside Catering Service Certificate from Shanghai Food and Drug Administration.

Anytime Anywhere, outside catering service provides a one stop solution in creating an offsite 5 STAR food experience and service, from large scale off site events, cruise boat dinners to intimate private dinners.

Earn double Starpoints for outside catering events booked by 31st December 2016 with event dates before 30th June 2017. (*Terms & Conditions apply) For more information, please contact 86.21.63351888 or email: daisy.zhang3@westin.com

©2016 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

For full terms & conditions, visit westin.com/shanghai

A custom built and advanced kitchen facility for outside catering.

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# Sleep. Eat. Record. Repeat.

In partnership with Coca-Cola, W Hotels Worldwide has unveiled its first W Sound Suite at W Bali – Seminyak in Indonesia, with W Hollywood, W Barcelona and W Seattle to launch later this year. This private music studio and writer’s room will be the place for professional recording artists, studio musicians and producers, in addition to hotel guests, to record in style while on the road. The 50-sq m creative space includes a lounge, a live room and a main mixing room, while its outdoor garden space can accommodate up to 100 pax standing.

Deck your events Located in the arts and heritage district, DECK is a modular site that offers an inspiring and stimulating environment to host a variety of events and activities all year round. This unique venue in Singapore is an independent art space launched with a mission to support and nurture the community of photography enthusiasts in Singapore and Southeast Asia. DECK’s three gallery spaces and an outdoor courtyard are available for hire for product launches, corporate events and exhibitions. It has also hosted brands from Kiehl’s and Zalora to Gucci and Givenchy.

Catch your microphone Getting an audience to speak up at a conference can be difficult, especially among more reserved Asian members.

To revolutionise the game of speaking up at meetings and conferences, Catchbox has created a tool that will help liven up events and encourage participation with the world’s first soft, wireless microphone that you can throw into the audience to kickstart a discussion. The colourful box can also be branded with a company’s logo, giving brand exposure an extra boost.

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ADVERTORIAL

ACCORHOTELS GETS SERIOUS ABOUT REWARDING MEETING PLANNERS With a rapid growth strategy in place, AccorHotels prioritises its loyalty programme geared to recognise and reward meeting planners.

AccorHotels is a leader in providing quality venues that deliver successful meetings and events. Over the past five years, AccorHotels focused their investment on fine-tuning a valuable loyalty programme. Le Club AccorHotels won “Best Hotel Programme of the Year” in Asia Pacific, Middle East, Oceania and Africa for the second consecutive year at the prestigious 2016 Freddie Awards, and is ready to reward meeting planners with a dedicated programme.

“I like to earn points, and obviously our clients are also very happy to have points,” said Regine Zambaldi, Owner and Managing Director of WizMeetings International. Caroline Gair, Director Supplier Relations of cievents added, “To me it’s about the relationships. If Accor didn’t deliver onsite, the business won’t be there; so, the two go hand in hand. For me and for the business, the real value (of a loyalty programme) is the fact that we can use the room nights redeemed for our staff when they travel.”

In 2015, the company deployed a listening tour around Asia Pacific to better understand the needs of members and non-members of the Le Club AccorHotels Meeting Planner.

AccorHotels learnt that event buyers want to be recognised and rewarded, and satisfied members will return with business leads time and time again.

AccorHotels’ research also indicated that having a robust loyalty programme is key to long term growth and market leadership. Loyalty members stay twice as often as non-members and 84 percent of members say their membership incentivises them to book with AccorHotels.

Kerry Healy, Vice President, Sales, Asia Pacific said, “We identified a gap in the market place and the importance of rewarding people who bring people together. This programme is one of the most generous and flexible ones designed for meeting planners because point accumulation and benefits are uncapped with no black-out dates.

Rewards can be easily redeemed online or offline as gift vouchers or members can use their points towards their next meeting. This makes a real difference especially for meetings and events valued over EUR60,000.”

AccorHotels’ new CRM systems will better facilitate communication and profile recognition across participating properties. In the near future, the Le Club AccorHotels meetings website will also allow event planners to book small meeting rooms online.

“We continue to invest heavily in Le Club AccorHotels Meeting Planner as our loyal customers deserve a programme that is effective, efficient and builds trust as our room inventory continues to grow rapidly,” added Ms Healy.

There are so many reasons to join. Sign up now via www.accorhotels.com/ meetingplanner and share in a four million points giveaway.* *Terms and conditions apply

About Le Club AccorHotels Meeting Planner Free to join programme Earn 1 meeting planner point for every EUR2 spent Points can be used to redeem airlines miles and hotel stays Points will not expire if the member stays or holds an event every 12 months Double dipping for the contract signatory and member delegates Uncapped programme = no maximum points earning and no minimum point spending

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#CoverStory

INCENTIVES TO MARKET TOURISM AUSTRALIA’S DESTINATION MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR THE BUSINESS EVENTS SECTOR ARE DELIVERING BUSINESS FROM THE GREATER CHINA MARKET, AND DRIVING DEMAND.

WORDS: EL KWANG PHOTOS: NU SKIN

NU SKIN FAST FACTS What does it take to bring 4,000 people on such an incentive trip?

Australia is considered a leader in strategic destination marketing for business events. Poised with a unique attitude towards lifestyle, cultural diversity, outstanding natural beauty and fresh produce, Australia continues to attract global meetings and incentives, including a number of major incentives from China happening in the next two years. Greater China is Australia’s second biggest source market for international business events visitor expenditure.

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work,” says Hogg. “It’s the best way to keep showing that Australia will always have something new and exciting to offer the Chinese market,” he said.

According to Andrew Hogg, Tourism Australia’s Regional General Manager, North Asia, the agency seeks to maintain Australia’s first-class reputation in China.

The Business Events team at Tourism Australia consistently delivers innovative and successful in-market activities; each with new messages and an objective to deliver experiences that exceed expectations.

The Business Events Showcase 2016 at Australia Week in China (AWIC), was the perfect opportunity to drive this message home to over 60 media and buyers, who had the opportunity to meet with 29 Australian industry professionals who provided product and destination updates to ensure Australia remains top of mind. Gathering invaluable market intelligence at events such as this one helps Tourism Australia maintain a competitive advantage in China, while informing marketing activity and messaging. In addition to the Showcase, Tourism Australia’s China-based team conducts destination education seminars in key Chinese cities to further increase awareness and preference for Australia.

understands that to truly understand its destination, first-hand knowledge is a must. In addition to its educational programme, which brings planners and corporate decision makers to Australia, Tourism Australia also runs the highly regarded signature showcase “Dreamtime”, which gives buyers an opportunity to experience Australia for themselves once every two years.

“Providing information and a chance to experience new incentive products and destinations is key to Tourism Australia’s

Whilst in-market events provide convenience for China-based incentive planners, Tourism Australia

“Dreamtime allows us to create a really unique environment for buyers and media, crafting experiences that bring

the Sydney Harbour BridgeClimb the welcome event entire trip

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“The day-to-day relationship building that the in-market team - headed up by LC Tan, our Regional Business Events Director - Greater China, and Jenny Yang, Business Events Manager China - do is absolutely paramount to making sure we’re delivering programmes that meet the customer’s needs.”

PENNY LION Head of Business Events Australia Tourism Australia

Australia’s distinctive offer to life,” said Lion. The 26 buyers and media from Greater China who attended Dreamtime 2015 in Adelaide were highly satisfied with the programme and stated they are more likely to consider sending more business to Australia as a result.

In fact, two groups from China have already confirmed business to Australia

as a result of attending Dreamtime. The showcase was so successful that Biz Events Asia featured the event as its cover story in the February 2016 edition.

Strategic partnerships play a crucial role in the current competitive market, and Tourism Australia has secured key agreements in Greater China to drive

further reach of its message. In 2015, Tourism Australia signed the first-ever business events specific Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore Airlines – which will be the first to fly visitors directly from Singapore to Canberra – creating stronger branding, advertising and in-market activity between the two organisations.

#CASE STUDY 2016 NU SKIN GREATER CHINA SUCCESS TRIP

In 2016, global direct-selling company NU SKIN organised an elaborate trip to Sydney for their business partners in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan as a reward for 4,000 of their top performers.

The largest single-wave company incentive trip in Sydney’s history took two years to plan. Business Events Sydney (BESydney) won with a bid that drew on partnerships with Destination NSW, Tourism Australia, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and Sydney Airport Corporation Limited.

Andrew Fan, President of NU SKIN Greater China, said, “We chose Sydney as the destination for the 2016 NU SKIN Greater China Success Trip because we hoped our business partners would learn from the Australian people who have developed Australia from a penal colony into a highly-developed country.

Their persistence, innovation, tenacity, and never-give-up attitude, have enabled Australians to create innovative devices such as Wi-Fi, the Blackbox Recorder and Google Maps”.

A WELCOME LIKE NO OTHER

Blake Harris, Executive Producer of TLS, led the team of creative and technical directors that created the trip’s welcome party in Darling Harbour – the venue’s first-ever exclusive corporate event.

The brief? To deliver an unforgettable welcome party featuring a uniquely Australian experience that promises

strong brand exposure for NU SKIN at Darling Harbour.

What followed was a spectacular 90-minute production featuring over 50 dancers on a floating stage in Cockle Bay, orbited by jet skis, water skiers and fly boarders. It incorporated high-impact audio, dynamic motion graphic content on LED and water screens, lighting and special FX fountains, lasers, Co2 jets, flames and pyrotechnics.

Assembled at Glebe Island and floated to Darling Harbour, the stage was a work of art. Built on a 55-metre barge with adjoining pontoons and removable gangways, the 16-metre concert stage featured large LED screens that displayed the NU SKIN logo.

Guests also enjoyed Opera Australia’s Turandot performance, which combined all of the things Sydney does best – world-class opera, fine-dining, sunsets and spectacle on the harbour’s edge.

Other programme highlights include sailing on Sydney Harbour on iconic tall ships and a gala dinner in Sydney Town Hall.

an estimated AUD230 million (USD174.6 million) worth of Asian incentive business and we’ve seen 20 percent year-on-year growth over the past decade in the value of events secured out of this region.”

RECORD BREAKING

During the incentive trip, NU SKIN’s top distributors broke two World Records: Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge – 4,000 of NU SKIN’s top performers climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge over six days with BridgeClimb Sydney, smashing the previous record set at 2,100 in 2013.

World’s largest “smile” mosaic – 3,633 of NU SKIN’s business partners created a 55,000-sq cm smile mosaic which eclipsed the previous record of a football mosaic formed by 529 participants using 2,623 woodblocks.

Major incentives coming to Australia in 2016/2017:

“Asia continues to be a key driver of incentive business into NSW,” said Lyn Lewis-Smith, CEO of BESydney. “In the last three years, BESydney has secured

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ADVERTORIAL

Infinitus China Overseas Training 2016 - doing bigger better in Thailand

When it comes to MICE, Thailand is thinking big! The industry is growing, and so are the events boosted by incentives offered by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

One of Asia’s biggest MICE events, the annual Infinitus Overseas Training was recently held for the 13th consecutive year in Thailand, and also celebrated its 20th anniversary. Infinitus, which manufactures skin and beauty products, organises a much-loved event that combines training with a fun break – so Thailand is the perfect venue.

It is no wonder why the number of the event’s participants has risen from hundreds in 2004 to 14,000 in 2016.

This year, the event took place from 11 to 29 May 2016 and saw 14,000 delegates come to Thailand in groups of 2,000 for memorable experiences in bustling Bangkok and vibrant Pattaya - two of TCEB-designated five MICE cities, including Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Khon Kaen. All five destinations boast endless choice of state-of-the-art facilities and venues that are ideal for large scale events as well as more intimate gatherings.

Marking another great year for Infinitus Overseas Training in Thailand, TCEB extended the redcarpet treatment under the new THAILAND BIG THANKS! campaign. The special supports include helping with visa facilitation and coordinating with relevant public organisations, offering MICE

LANE and fast-track immigration services for executives and VIP guests at the airport, arranging Thai cultural performances at the gala dinners, and providing special souvenirs for all delegates.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Infinitus Overseas Training, TCEB presented Infinitus (China) with the ‘Thai-Sino MICE Outstanding Contribution Award’ to recognise their dedication to Thailand, and for helping to showcase how adeptly and professionally Thailand’s MICE industry deals with mega-events.

For more information, visit TCEB’s website at www.businesseventsthailand.com

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#TheDualEdition

DESTINATION MARKETING BIZ EVENTS ASIA DISCUSSES THE ATTRIBUTES THAT MAKE A DESTINATION STAND OUT. Location: Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong

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THE RIGHT INFO PROVIDING EVENT PLANNERS WITH SUITABLE SOLUTIONS AND INFORMATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL DESTINATION MARKETING. WORDS: EL KWANG & MARINE DEBATTE

Event planners can easily access a wealth of information from some state-of-the-art websites. Sellers, like hoteliers, have raised the bar over the past five years, implementing sophisticated marketing tools like websites and HTML-coded e-newsletters that draw direct business leads. One can now access hotel websites to not only find floor plans; they may also get a site inspection through an innovative 360-degree live video webcam. However, is there a match between the sellers’ sales language and marketing tactics?

Biz Events Asia recently co-hosted two familiarisation experiences in Thailand and networked with 50 global meeting and group travel planners to better understand business trends and pain points. A common pain point for these planners is not getting the correct information from sellers.

“We get the most basic information like capacities and number of rooms from venue sales contacts at appointments which are already in the sales kit anyway. Sellers should find out more about what our needs are and use that knowledge to sell the destination where the venue is based and the experience they can deliver that makes their venue stand out,” said one UK buyer.

Tradeshows with short and back-toback appointment schedules widen this communication gap. It also becomes more challenging if English is not the business language, as business leads get lost in translation.

WHAT DO PLANNERS WANT? Marine Debatte, Biz Events Asia Guest Editor and Head of Events Solutions Asia Pacific and Japan for BI Worldwide, advised that most agencies will have records of destinations, hotels and venues.

However, having millions of square metres of

event spaces do not mean much to planners. Due to the spectrum of clientele and different business needs, each meeting and incentive programme is unique. Information that is meaningful to event planners include: Destination that fits the event objective Destination accessibility Infrastructure in and around the venue Safety and security Ease of visa requirements “What grabs event planners’ attention is the versatility of a destination. How it can be rebranded to sell different concepts of a destination to clients over and over again. For example, Australia has taken the approach to market itself as a country but to also leave room to each region to brand itself uniquely. Planners who do not have the luxury of time to attend familiarisation rely on sellers to deliver the right information that are not on the brochures,” said Debatte.

COUNTRIES THAT MARKET WELL Australia does not only sell itself as a country; it also markets different cities and regions separately – such as for Gold Coast and Northern Territory – allowing buyers to visit Australia 10 times and yet experience different landscapes, atmospheres and even climates each time.

Australia also invests in research and has identified that the spend per head by business event visitors gives the country good return-oninvestment. The industry is heavily supported by the government. For example, Business Events Sydney invited Hon Minister Stuart Ayres, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events for New South Wales, Australia to conduct the media press conference at IMEX Frankfurt 2016.

In Debatte’s opinion, Singapore and Japan are two countries that are strong in destination marketing recently. In the past 18 months, Japan has done a

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lot in market activities to develop the MICE market. These efforts put them back on the radar as one of the most requested incentive destinations in 2016. Support of the government with facilitating visa access is also a key factor in decision making and these two countries have understood it.

SINGAPORE’S BEST PRACTICES Singapore has understood that the focus is not to just attract people to the country, but on cultivating repeat patronage. Some of the initiatives include: some European countries are starting to do so by giving tax breaks to local DMCs. In Singapore, some properties or venues will give an edge to a Singaporean-based agency over a foreign one. This supports the local agencies and investment in the market. Giving local planners an edge is a very smart way to keep developing the industry, as it drives the demand from within the market and incentivises the whole industry.

Singapore Tourism Board launches contests encouraging local agencies to create new experiences and activities, while supporting their ultimate goal of keeping the destination relevant and new.

Singapore is doing a great job at understanding the needs of different cultures, and does not segment their marketing axis solely based on the type of event you would organise but on the profile of the visitors. One example is a recent focus made on the Korean market.

Geraldine Yeo, Director, Industry Marketing of Singapore Tourism Board (STB) agrees with the importance of thinking outside the box when it comes to destination marketing, as delegates are becoming more selective in the types of

events they attend, and have higher expectations.

STB has launched some successful campaigns targeted at BTMICE (Business Travel and MICE) audience that keep the garden city ahead of competition. “We recently collaborated with CNN, Bloomberg, The Economist, and other online platforms to establish Singapore as a premier MICE hub anchored on thought leadership and business opportunities, and also to inspire business travellers to extend their stay or return to Singapore for leisure visits,” said Yeo.

“What grabs event planners’ attention is the versatility of a destination.

How it can be rebranded to sell different concepts of a destination to clients over and over again.”

Head of Events Solutions Asia Pacific and Japan, BI Worldwide.

“These campaigns have performed well. In particular, our campaign with Bloomberg comprising a custom content hub and television vignettes featuring business leaders received positive response from viewers.

In an independent post-campaign survey, the business traveller audience surveyed were inspired to consider Singapore as a leisure travel destination and were keen to incorporate culinary and sightseeing experiences in their future trips to Singapore. At the same time, the vignette featuring Chef Tetsuya and his experiences in Singapore bagged two awards at the 37th Annual Telly Awards.”

Director, Industry Marketing Singapore Tourism Board

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HO YOKE PING

General Manager - Business Events, Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau

Top 5 must-have information for destination marketing by Marine Debatte 1.

over the past couple of years.

Ho Yoke Ping, General Manager Business Events of Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), said that staying strong in the face of adversity is part of the country’s on-going efforts in marketing Malaysia as a leading business events destination. MyCEB continued to invest in marketing campaigns like “Malaysia Like Never Before”, and successfully refreshed product offerings in five key destinations all over Malaysia across print and digital platforms.

Above Singapore’s safety and modern infrastructure accolades, the leading business hub of Southeast Asia ensures visitors can conduct business activities with ease. Respecting the need to deliver on visitors’ experience, STB and Singapore’s MICE industry continue to enhance connectivity and touch points. Local start-up companies are encouraged to use technology to create meaningful experience.

STB revamped its consumer website designed for mobile devices and uses GPS to navigate visitors to landmarks, attractions and consumer events like the FORMULA ONE race, Grand Prix Season Singapore and World Gourmet Summit.

MALAYSIA’S STRONG EFFORTS Malaysia faced some tough challenges

Tapping onto strong industry relations keeps the bureau on track of its goals. Some of the successful bids won has been attributed to “Kesatria”, MyCEB’s very own conference ambassador programme.

“Leveraging on the Kesatria’s success stories has helped to build Malaysia’s track record in hosting international conferences for the association and convention business,” said Ho. Data provided

by MyCEB showed that Malaysia has welcomed more than 43,500 Corporate Meeting and Incentive (C&I) participants in the first half of 2016, an increase of 15 percent from 2015. Cultural diversity, sumptuous gastronomic delights, exciting shopping experience, and natural attractions are the key attributes cited in winning bids.

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How scalable is the city? We sometimes look for a destination suitable for 50-5,000 delegates. How scalable is the city in that sense, bearing in mind that handling 50 CEOs require as much attention?

The airport can handle 1 million passengers a day, but can they manage 250 VIPs and spouses through fast track within a day?

High and low seasons: Understanding seasonality assists with managing budgets. However, some destinations do not have consistent high and low seasons anymore. No planners want to have their event in the same destination at the same time as a 12,000-delegate mega incentive.

Different way to brand the destination: Tailoring marketing message and solutions according to demographic is key. For example, the Australians may prefer outdoor activities in summer whilst Asians enjoy visiting cooler climates.

Novelties in the market: New venues, experiences, food and beverage diversity are important. What will really stand out are experiences that are not the stock standard ones printed on a brochure. The average tourist experiences are not as appealing as those especially curated for business event visitors. Do not assume that Thai delegates only want to have Thai food throughout their visit. Understanding that Cantonese food is not the only type of Chinese cuisine for our guests is important!

Connections: Event agencies may not be specialists of a destination especially if they are not based there. They rely on business event bureaux and destination management companies for recommendations. For example, if a planner closes a street for a dinner event, he needs to know who has the right connection with the police department and town council to get the necessary approvals.

It is important to have a different approach for different types of planners and different types of events. A destination’s ability to suggest tailored solutions during tradeshow appointments will get a higher chance in converting business leads.

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Q&A: SERIOUS BUSINESS Biz Events Asia interviews Karen Bollinger, Chief Executive Officer of the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) on tracking the economic impact of business events

THE ABILITY TO TRACK AND MEASURE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF BUSINESS EVENTS CREATES A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE INDUSTRY. WORDS: EL KWANG

1. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE BUSINESS EVENTS INDUSTRY TO TRACK THE ECONOMIC IMPACT BEYOND TOURISM? Business events are a crucial part of the visitor economy. The value of the sector extends beyond tourism expenditure, with conferences providing opportunity to: build international networks and open up trade and investment opportunities profile our region’s sectors of strength bring focus to our Government’s areas of policy leadership and reform, and provide opportunities for our students to participate and build international networks before their careers begin.

To truly understand the impact of the sector we need to understand the legacies that are left behind, such as knowledge dispersal, community initiatives, research opportunities and business development.

By understanding these beyond-tourism benefits, we can help partners and stakeholders understand the benefit to them, and then facilitate successful collaborations, such as with the government, universities and research institutes to bid for and win more business for Victoria.

Obtaining relevant data that is not readily available Ensuring data quality and that sources adequately represent the situation Contextualising the data to understand what can and can’t be inferred from it Creating an appropriate analytical model to interpret the data

and we are measured on this sector of the market. We also work with domestic clients to provide information and assistance to help plan their business events. However, we do not measure this.

4. ARE STAKEHOLDERS SHARING THE CORRECT INFORMATION WITH THEIR BUREAUX?

Additionally, we can actively target events with legacy outcomes that will align to our government’s priority sectors, playing our part in advancing Victoria’s future industries, to build a stronger state by driving job growth and investment in the future.

3. WOULD A DESTINATION LIKE MELBOURNE TRACK BOTH INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC BUSINESS EVENTS IMPACT?

2. WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES GETTING AND SORTING SUCH BIG DATA?

The real question here is “what is the right information required to educate governments and the broader community of the value of business events?” Each government has a different set of criteria they need to be measured in order to ensure their ROI is recognised and significant. So collecting the right information in the first instance is crucial.

MCB is funded by our stakeholders and partners to actively pursue international business for the state,

Some valuable information is shared by stakeholders with MCB, however there

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can be limitations on what can be and is shared, because: Where data is considered an asset to a stakeholder, it may not be appropriate for them to give it to us Data privacy can prevent information from being shared Where data is not considered relevant to a stakeholder, they may not allocate required resources to collect that data

5. WITHOUT GETTING TOO TECHNICAL, WHAT ARE SOME CRUCIAL FORMULA USED IN CALCULATING ECONOMIC IMPACT? HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COLLATE AND PUBLISH THE RESULTS WITH THE APPROPRIATE RECOMMENDATIONS AT A STATE (OR CITY) AND COUNTRY LEVEL? Some crucial aspects to measuring economic impact include: Capturing both delegate and event organiser spend Capturing “new money” bought into the State Segmenting the economic contribution formula by industry The last study we conducted with the government, stakeholders and partners was the 2015 Melbourne Conference Expenditure Study, which took just under 18 months to complete.

In Melbourne’s instance we use a model that is ratified by a third party e.g.

Ernst & Young and a multiplier that the government provides us. This way we get recognition by our stakeholders that the formula is credible.

6. HOW RELIABLE IS THE INFORMATION AND WHAT CAN A BUREAU AND STAKEHOLDERS DO WITH THAT INFORMATION? The research we undertake is reliable.

Our 2015 Melbourne Conference Expenditure Study was supported by Ernst & Young. Equally our conference

delegate study is assessed using the actual interview data taken on-site at conferences. Which means its accuracy is quite high.

The information is used to build a case for government and private funding, as well as to educate stakeholders and partners on how the business events industry benefits the wider Victorian community.

It’s also used to put a value on the economic contribution that conferences deliver. As an example, we have recently completed a study that breaks down the spend by sector e.g. medical, engineering, etc. This is then used to provide an estimate of a conference to Victoria and is part of our targets we aim for each year.

7. FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, HOW WOULD A CEO LIKE YOU USE THIS INFORMATION? This information is vital. It is used to provide evidence of our success which assists in securing support and funding from stakeholders and partners.

Additionally, it allows us to track our progress year-on-year, as well as undertake a competitor analysis, both of which help establish our ongoing business development and marketing strategy. It is also a means to generate recognition for the work of MCB, and highlight the importance of the business events sector to Melbourne and Victoria.

“The real question here is ‘what is the right information required to educate governments and the broader community of the value of business events?’ Each government has a different set of criteria they need to be measured to ensure their ROI is recognised and significant. So collecting the right information in the first instance is crucial.”

Chief Executive Officer Melbourne Convention Bureau

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AN INDUSTRY’S RESPONSIBILITY PROMOTING A DESTINATION IS NOT JUST A BUREAU’S RESPONSIBILITY. PLANNERS WILL CHOOSE A DESTINATION WHEN ITS INDUSTRY WORKS AS ONE COLLABORATIVE TEAM. Today’s travellers are more informed than ever. We are all just clicks away from directories and guides brimming with stats and facts. Aggregated reviews of each and every space and place are backed by user-generated content in the form of pictures, videos, and text.

It is increasingly difficult for Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) to steer the dialogue of their destination, because young travellers, especially the millennials, eschew traditional media for online advice and content generated by their peers. One survey by Ipsos revealed millennials trust usergenerated content 50 percent more than traditional media, and that this content was 20 percent more likely to influence a purchasing decision than other forms of media.

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WORDS: ALEX PAIK flexible in order to help travellers discover the experiences they seek.

Once they do so, DMOs return to an informative position with clout, which they can use to lead travellers back onto more traditional, established travel itineraries.

However, when DMOs fail to provide relevant, quality content, young travellers will continue to confer with their peers over professionals for their destination news and content.

POKEMON GO TOURISM IN KOREA

This has given rise to the popularity of peer-review platforms such as Yelp and TripAdvisor, but also to local concierge applications that can help tourists or residents with any questions on attractions or services through simple chat screens.

Last month, thanks to a GPS technology glitch, Sokcho City and nearby areas became the only region in Korea where one could play Pokemon Go - a wildly popular location-based mobile game where players walk to different locations to capture cute monsters that pop up in their smartphone camera screens via augmented reality.

As visitor expectations rapidly evolve, destinations need to stay vigilant and

Facebook, Instagram, and blog sites are exploding with game tips and

images of freshly-caught Pokemon monsters, all set to the backdrop of classic Sokcho scenery: long lazy beaches, tall mountains, and fresh seafood.

Sokcho is actually just one of several cities and towns clustered near the North-South Korean border that has access to Pokemon Go. However, Sokcho benefitted the most because of its strong tourism infrastructure and swift, welcoming response from the public and private sector.

Sokcho Mayor Lee Byeong-Seon seized the opportunity with online videos to welcome the massive influx of tourists with promises of extra city services, and information on local foods and attractions. Pokemon Go relies heavily on the Internet, so free WiFi zone maps have been designed, printed and made available on the Sokcho City website.

At the time of writing, every single bus seat and train ticket to Sokcho had been sold out for days on end.

Local e-commerce and daily deal sites

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ADVERTORIAL

ASEAN MICE Venue Standard

A pioneering development to raise ASEAN MICE industry standards

MICE travellers expect the best of Thailand’s meeting destinations – whether a Bangkok ballroom, or a

meeting room by sea. And innovation from Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau – or TCEB, will ensure they enjoy the highest standards.

TCEB aims to create a sustainable market in line with international best practice. As such, TCEB recognised the need for a tool to systematically measure the quality of MICE venues and raise standards across ASEAN.

Thailand MICE Venue Standard becomes ASEAN Venue Standard So TCEB developed the Thailand MICE Venue Standard, (TMVS).

It was launched in 2015 and now many Thai MICE operators use this tool to ensure they meet international standards. TMVS is being used in Thailand’s MICE cities in collaboration with the International Standards Organisation (ISO). TCEB is now expanding the TMVS to become the Exhibition MICE Venue Standard, and has conducted trials in Khon-Kaen, Pattaya, Phuket, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

Inspiring the establishment of the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard These initiatives are part of TCEB’s strategy to lead the next phase of the growth of TVMS, under the Thailand MICE Venue Standard Masterplan 2015-2019. Implemented with a 66-million baht budget, the ambitious Masterplan focuses on six strategies. These include enhancing the TMVS so that it’s in-line with international standards and developing professional capabilities to meet these standards. Most importantly, the plan aims at developing databases and information systems to support the TMVS not to mention ongoing promotion. Having proved effective in elevating Thailand’s MICE capabilities and competitiveness, AMVS will enable the whole of ASEAN to benefit from established criteria.

Implementation of the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard Over the past 18 months, TCEB has worked with ASEAN MICE stakeholders to establish venue standards. A consensus was reached at the ASEAN Tourism Conference on 4 December 2014, to generate improved industry standardisation. TCEB also hosted stakeholder engagement sessions entitled ‘Special Meeting on ASEAN MICE Venue Standard’ in September and December 2015. At the From 43rd ASEAN Tourism Meeting in Manila (18-19 January 2016), it was agreed that the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard would be part of ASEAN’s Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025.

It’s anticipated that the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard will be ready for implementation by 2017. TCEB will help ASEAN benefit from delivering international standards and ensuring “One Vision, One Identity, One Community’ becomes a reality.

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scrambled to organise chartered bus packages, which also sold swiftly. Even small mom-and-pop shops in Sokcho participated by displaying handmade signs welcoming new “Pokemon trainers” to come grab a bite or quench their thirst before heading back out into the hot summer sun.

The full impact of this combined effort has yet to be seen, but according to Mayor Lee, the city had 5.7 million visitors during its peak summer period between July and August last year. This year, they are expecting a 50-percent boost in tourism due to this once-in-a-lifetime, absolutely arbitrary occurrence.

GANGNAM STYLE: ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS? It may seem like any DMO would know how to recognise what travellers want and embrace large opportunities as soon as they arise, but it can be difficult to discern which trends are appropriate to follow, and how to execute them.

Depending on the structure of the DMO, they may face strong pressure from government, stakeholders, or other parties that are wary of how new experiences may shape the image of their destination.

For example, many travellers, especially business travellers, look forward to the exciting nightlife of Asian destinations, and naturally seek informative guides on where to go. Although it is easier for DMOs to present a squeaky clean image of their nightlife, an impartial view will steer travellers away from DMOs and possibly to places with unsafe advice or even more unsavoury content.

Similarly, despite their allure, it can be difficult to embrace viral opportunities while connecting them with key public objectives on a multi-tier, long-term branding campaign.

In the summer of 2012, Psy’s hit song “Gangnam Style” was literally the biggest thing happening across the world. However, it was barely mentioned in Korea’s international marketing, possibly due to Psy’s past legal issues and some controversial lyrics in earlier songs.

LEVERAGING SUCCESSFUL BRANDS TO GAIN AWARENESS Seoul Tourism Organization was one of the first in the Korean tourism industry to hop on the Psy bandwagon.

At the time of the inaugural 2012 IMEX Las Vegas, Gangnam Style had

just peaked on the Billboard charts, so Seoul used the opportunity to start a dialogue. The city held a road show called “Seoul Style”, invited a local dance team to perform the song, and played the Gangnam Style music video at their booth in lieu of standard city promotional videos.

As a result, the Seoul booth was abuzz with walk-ins throughout the day from buyers and attendees taking the opportunity to finally see the music video that had taken the world by storm. Seoul was also able to relate the song back to its strengths as a MICE destination, as the Gangnam district is incidentally where they have their main convention centre, several top hotels, fine dining, and trendiest nightlife areas.

It took nearly half a year for other DMOs, travel agencies, and government organisations to use Psy in their marketing, and this is only after Psy’s meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Gangnam Style hitting one billion views on YouTube. By that point, the world had moved on – including Psy, who put out a new single five months after taking the record for most watched views on YouTube.

DELIVERING ON KOREA’S K-POP APPEAL Many visitors to Korea are drawn to its pop culture, and seek experiences in Korea in relation to their favourite stars and shows. Unsurprisingly, the Korean

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“No matter how popular a trend may be, it ultimately cannot substitute a quality, comprehensive destination experience.”- Alex Paik ,Director AP Communications

chicken and beer). This inspired an outdoor chicken and beer party in Incheon for 4,500 employees of the Chinese health firm Aurance Group earlier this year. A similar samgyetang ginseng chicken soup party was held in May for 8,000 Joymain employees at one of Seoul’s scenic Hangang River parks, which was inspired by Korean drama Descendants of the Sun. government is not shy to promote it as a key driver of tourism. President Park Geun-hye recently attended the K-CON music festival in Paris, and has promoted it at many of her official overseas visits. At international trade shows, local and national convention bureaus will often bring K-pop cover dance teams or similar performances to wow buyers and other tradeshow attendees.

GREAT TRENDS ARE GREAT HOSTS FOR GREAT DESTINATIONS Of course, no matter how popular a trend may be, it ultimately cannot substitute a quality, comprehensive

destination experience. If Sokcho City was not blessed with its seaside towns, succulent squid, and Seoraksan Mountain, tourists probably would not have thought twice about hunting Pokemon at a remote location just south of the North-South Korean border.

But in this vast ocean of digital content, trends are a lifeboat opportunity to inspire potential tourists to your doorstep. And DMOs finding creative ways to rapidly respond to trends will open channels that are more likely to communicate their main brand message in ways that will strongly resonate with the new generation of travellers.

However, in terms of actual meetings, delivering a unique K-pop experience poses financial and logistical challenges. The majority of incentive events cannot splurge for a meet-andgreet or private performance from an A-list Korean celebrity. Also, K-pop is an industry of intangible goods protected by creative copyrights, which restricts event-customised usage of K-pop imagery, music, film, and other content.

But since K-pop reflects aspects of modern Korean society, engaging in everyday Korean activities portrayed in K-pop culture has become a fun way of connecting with Korean stars.

Meeting planners have brought K-pop into their events with cover performance teams, Korean idol style makeovers, and K-pop dance classes.

In another example, in the 2014 Korean drama My Love from the Star, the female lead talks about her love for chimaek (Korean slang for fried

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Soak up Singapore’s Vibrancy RETHINK THE EXPECTATIONS OF A THREE-DAY MEETING OR INCENTIVE PROGRAMME WITH SINGAPORE’S VIBRANT ARTS, CULTURE AND DESIGN SCENE. The kaleidoscope of cultures and races coupled with a British colonial

Chingay Parade

Find Chinese and Hindu temples, mosques and churches located within the same short stretch of road; groups throughout the year; catch like The Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall; or go on an art trail to monuments and memorials.

Here are some suggestions that would expose corporate groups to arts and cultural offerings from

Where to eat

1. ANDSOFORTH A mysterious pop-up restaurant concept that fuses art, a theatrical and dining experience culture in London. Diners are informed of the meeting location on the day of the feast with strategic clues along the way to guide them to Capacity: 120 pax Website: www.andsoforth.com.sg

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2. NOSTALGIC SINGAPORE TRISHAW & STREET FOOD TRAIL the FORMULA 1 street circuit. Groups will get to experience

Capacity: 30-40 pax Website: www.book.trishawuncle.com.sg

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ADVERTORIAL

Peranakan antique display at The Intan

Where to stay

1. JW MARRIOTT HOTEL SINGAPORE SOUTH BEACH With interiors designed by renowned French designer Philippe Starck, the hotel fuses contemporary architecture with restored heritage buildings in the heart of Singapore’s city centre and historic Civic District. With its distinctive design including a state-of-the-art environment canopy, the new hotel has already won two Green Mark platinum awards.

2. THE PATINA, CAPITOL SINGAPORE Located in Singapore’s civic and cultural district, the iconic Capitol Building and Stamford House heritage buildings have been masterfully restored by Pritzker Prize Laureate Richard Meier to house The Patina, Capitol Singapore.

Designed by world-renowned Jaya International Design, the ultra-luxury property features wellappointed guest rooms and suites, the Reading

What to do

1. NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE GROUP TOUR Organise a group tour to National Gallery Singapore, a new visual arts institution which oversees the largest public collection of modern art in Singapore and

restaurant and bar as well as a world-class art collection.

monuments — Singapore’s former Supreme Court and City Hall — that have been beautifully restored and transformed into this exciting venue in the heart of the Civic District.

Capacity: 20-25 pax Website: www.nationalgallery.sg/see-do/tours 2. THE INTAN Ignite the cultural senses of delegates through a visit to The Intan, a 150-year-old Peranakan museum and offers insights into the Peranakan culture through his Swimming pool at JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach

and jewellery.

Capacity: 30 pax Website: www.the-intan.com

Events to look out for

3. VILLAGE SINGAPURA TEAM BUILDING Go back to 1890 Singapore with an interactive theatrical experience set in heritage buildings at iconic historic districts such as Chinatown or Fort candy sticks, Chinese paper cutting, pulling of Malay Teh Tarik (pulled tea), Indian dance hand gestures and a team drama showcase challenge.

Capacity: 300 pax Website: www.villagesingapura.com/team-building

1. CHINGAY PARADE (FEBRUARY 2017) The word Chingay is equivalent to the Mandarin “Zhuang Yi”, which means “the art of costume and masquerade” in the Hokkien dialect. This annual event, which happens around the Chinese New Year period, is also the From the main parade site to the heartlands, this street extravaganza epitomises the dynamism of Singapore’s vibrant and multi-cultural society.

2. NIGHT FESTIVAL (AUGUST 2017) Festival transforms the Bras Basah/Bugis arts precinct into a midsummer night’s celebration of the arts. Zero in on during the festival, as well as the National Museum of Singapore, whose grounds and façade become blank canvases for various installations.

For more exciting Singapore experiences for corporate groups, visit www.yoursingapore.com/mice/m&i-experiences or email us at secb@stb.gov.sg.

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M A N T E I V o t n I lve

#De

RM, A H S C KED S E L IME RE-PAC D. T O N T CULTU OVERE E D A HID ISC S I D M O E M FR TNA NG TO B E I V RAL E WAITI T N CE TUR N E V AD

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UNWAVERING GRACE A FAMILIARISATION TOUR IN CENTRAL VIETNAM BY BANYAN TREE HOTELS & RESORTS SHOWED HOW CORPORATE INCENTIVE TRAVEL GROUPS CAN GET MORE FOR LESS IN CITIES HUE AND HOI AN. WORDS: GINA SIN

While Vietnam is still finding the right mix of ingredients for rapid, sustained growth, its economic and political growth has averaged nearly six percent a year per person since 1990, second only to China. Its progression can also be seen in the increasingly significant role tourism has played in the country’s development, which contributes to 9.3 percent of its GDP in 2014, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.

In July 2015, Vietnam introduced its visa exemption to 22 countries in Europe and Asia, including Britain, France, Germany, Russia and nine other ASEAN member states, among others.

In May 2016, Bangkok Airways launched direct flights linking Bangkok and Da Nang, offering four flights a week with its 138-seater Airbus A319 aircraft. The airline is currently in talks to increase its flight frequency to daily. Construction is underway for a new terminal at the Da Nang International Airport to ease the current traffic. The terminal, expected to cost approximately USD158 million, is slated to be completed by March 2017, before the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum later that year.

CHAIN REACTION Lang Co, also known as the Village of Stork and close to a fishing village, is known for its dramatic mountain settings, lagoons, beaches, and some of the most stunning

landscapes in Vietnam.

Two properties complementing this destination – Angsana Lang Co and Banyan Tree Lang Co – are surrounded by three UNESCO Heritage Sites: Hue, My Son and Hoi An, as well as the Truong Son Mountain Range, national parks and local fishing villages.

When the resorts opened in late 2012 in a relatively unknown destination, the team at Banyan Tree took great efforts in marketing the destination to highlight the beauty and cultural riches it possesses.

“As active members of the Central Coast Vietnam community, we were instrumental in bringing DragonAir flights to Da Nang, amongst others,” said Michal Zitek, Area General Manager, Banyan Tree Lang Co and Angsana Lang Co. The group currently has plans to add six more resorts along the three kilometre stretch of beach in Lang Co, where both Banyan Tree and Angsana properties reside.

ANGSANA LANG CO Nestled in picturesque mountain landscapes, miles of sandy beaches and surrounded by a turquoise lagoon, Angsana Lang Co is made up of 229 rooms and villas, along with two ballrooms, four meeting rooms and a beachfront for all types of events, a water sports centre, gymnasium, resort pool, an award-winning spa and seven dining venues, among others. The resort’s chapel make

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espite being a country with an expanding meetings, incentives, conference and events (MICE) infrastructure, its treasure trove of history, culture and nature is hard to ignore.

for an ideal outdoor event space that accommodates up to 20 pax, while its 18-hole golf course designed by legendary golfer Sir Nick Faldo can be used for a unique banquet set-up under the stars.

BANYAN TREE LANG CO With a place amongst the most beautiful bays in the world, the 60 intimate all-pool villas Banyan Tree Lang Co exudes a quiet charm unlike anywhere else. The resort, which spans across a staggering 280 hectares of flourishing greenery, is an ideal location for top achievers and C-level executives, as well as intimate meetings of up to 54 people in its three meeting rooms.

Banyan Tree was founded with the core philosophy of driving sustainable development, and throughout the years has worked very closely with the local communities in each destination to ensure that they provide naturally luxurious, ecologically and culturally sensitive experiences to their guests. “We currently employ more than 80 percent of locals in Hue and Lang Co’s surrounding areas,” said Zitek.

Its roots run deep in nurturing talents in the hospitality industry, therefore empowering its associates around the world to provide the authentic and genuine luxury service that Asia is renowned for. Launched in 2008, the Banyan Tree Management Academy equipped its associates around the world with relevant skills, knowledge and capabilities. Talents were identified and nurtured through courses such as the Management Development Programme (MDP) and Talent Management

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Chapel at Angsana Lang Co

Programme (TMP) to identify future leaders of the organisation.

TREASURE TROVE

Despite being a country with an expanding meetings, incentives, conference and events (MICE) infrastructure, its treasure trove of history, culture and nature is hard to ignore. Both properties are within two hours of Hue and Hoi An, alluring destinations in their own right.

Established as the capital of unified Vietnam in 1802, Hue was ruled under the Nguyen dynasty until 1945. A major attraction is its vast, 19th-century Citadel surrounded by a moat and thick stone walls. It encompasses the Imperial City, with palaces and shrines; the Forbidden Purple City, once the emperor’s home; and a replica of the Royal Theater. Hue’s complex of monuments also include the Thien Mu pagoda, which was recognised as a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1993.

Angsana Lang Co

The ancient town of Hoi An is a crowd favourite, with its colourful and well-preserved buildings that display a unique blend of local and foreign influences throughout the centuries.

Restaurants, cafes, pagodas, an open market, temples, family cult houses selling local artworks, and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge are some of the many attractions Hoi An boasts.

Further afield, groups can also look at heading to the water coconut village approximately four kilometres away from Hoi An, where activities such as gardening, lantern-making, cooking classes and foot massages are popular.

BBQ at Beach, Banyan Tree Lang Co

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RELISHING NEW & OLD EXPERIENCES MALAYSIA’S NEWEST FOOD AND BEVERAGE ESTATES, TREC AND OLD MALAYA, ARE BECOMING EVENT PLANNERS’ DREAM COME TRUE. WORDS: EL KWANG

TREC - TASTE, RELISH, EXPERIENCE, CELEBRATE Seven minute-drive from Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas Twin Towers is a new 70-acre commercial development Tun Razak Exchange. Better known as TRX, it is set to become a leading international financial and business hub. Although TRX has a development period of 15 years, the first phase of development is slated to complete by 2018.

Ho Yoke Ping, General Manager Business Events of the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), brought Biz Events Asia to TREC, a brand new estate and innovative space ideal for large meeting and incentive welcome reception parties and dine around experiences. “This unique offsite venue augurs well for the business events industry in Malaysia, offering event planners the opportunity to carve out-of-the-box experiential events for international delegates,” said Ho. Located opposite TRX, TREC, which stands for Taste, Relish, Experience and Celebrate, spans seven acres across the following zones ideal for events: Zouk KL, one of Asia’s largest superclub Electric Boulevard – known for its gastrobars and lounges

The Hives – consisting of clusters of bars and eateries Two interactive spaces; the 5,000 sq ft (464.5 sq m) Rhapsody Square and 4,000 sq ft Quad.

Although such an estate is not a new concept for global event planners, Kelvin Lam, Assistant Manager, Property Management of TREC KL told Biz Events Asia that TREC is a secured environment with 24/7 security, with CCTVS, security personnel plus usage of K9s. What makes TREC stand out in event services is the fact that there is a specialised team of professionals who provide advice on event matters, such as licensing, operations, setup, logistics, crowd management and staging. For events that require simultaneous usage of different food

and beverage outlets, the TREC team will recommend suitable ones based on the organisers’ preferences and budgets.

Event Producer and Director of Think Tank Productions said, “It is uncommon for venues in Malaysia to offer such value-added services. Clients will be attracted to this competitive edge as it increases productivity and efficiency when working with onsite professionals who know best how to manage its vendors, logistics and security.”

The new estate has successfully hosted events like the BMW X Series launch, Mercedes-Benz A Class launch, ASTRO HBP Game of Thrones private viewing and the Ferrari Owners Club Malaysia society night.

Despite the large amount of outdoor spaces, tents are readily available as wet weather backup.

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OLD MALAYA Just off the main street of Jalan Sultan Ismail and located on Jalan Raja Chulan resides Old Malaya, a brand new conversion of a 1919 heritage building.

Old Malaya founders, Dato’ Syed Mustaffa Shahabuddin and Kana Theva worked with the Department of Malaysian Heritage and architectural design house, Space Fighters, to restore the building into a food and beverage precinct event planners would love.

Old Malaya currently houses a number of restaurants offering event dine around experiences with a variety of local and international cuisine perfect for groups of 50-70 guests. serves modern luxe Malaysian food with French influences.

Strictly MSG free, owner and chef Isadora Chai serves food based on the principle of “Air Tangan Ibu”, which means “food made by a mother’s hand”. with the inspirations from the old Chetti Street in Malaysia and reflective of its heritage in Karaikudi, south of India, the café aims to tickle your taste buds with a special bland of masalas and homemade spices. located alongside the dining area of Pampas restaurant.

Kapitan was a title given to leaders of each dialect group in the Chinese enclaves of Southeast Asia. One such Kapitan is Yap Ah Loy who is widely regarded the founder of Kuala Lumpur.

Italian pizza is the signature of Luce. The restaurant pays tribute to some of Italy’s rustic dishes and authentic osteria menu with a strong emphasis of quality ingredients and authenticity in flavours. using fresh produce from the company’s very own butchery, chef Vic. Zainal crafts a unique blend of local and international flavours.

Inspirations are drawn from Spanish, Japanese cuisines and blended with flavours from famous Malaysian food hubs in Penang, Malacca and Sabah. a famous steakhouse brand in Malaysia offering quality beef cuts, seafood and poultry that go perfectly with a list of fine wines offered at Pampas.

“We wanted to do something different for Kuala Lumpur; as a unique place reflecting our heritage whilst also looking onward to the international destination that KL is becoming,” said the founder, Kana Theva, who is currently the main point of sales contact for event planners.

HO YOKE PING General Manager Business Events, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB)

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

IHG hotels in Singapore SINGAPORE

From now until September 30, 2016, double your rewards for meetings and events held across IHG’s hotels in Singapore. For all group meetings booked by September 30 and held by December 31, 2016, meeting planners will receive Double IHG Business Rewards points which can be redeemed for room nights and more at over 5,000 hotels worldwide and 5 percent off total group meeting expenses with a minimum spend of USD1,000.

Tel: 1800-MEETING Email: 1800MEETING@ihg.com

PARKROYAL Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA

For an intimate meeting of just 15 delegates and 10 guest rooms or more, PARKROYAL Kuala Lumpur gives you attractive benefits ranging from complimentary rooms or room upgrades, to a complimentary cocktail hour or savings on your master bill. Book by September 30, 2016 to enjoy this offer for a residential meeting to be held by June 30, 2017.

Website: parkroyalhotels.com Email: exceptionalmeetings@pphg.com

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Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld

THAILAND

Experience a full range of facilities with Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld; the only fully integrated world-class hotel, convention centre and lifestyle leisure complex in the city. Book a full-day meeting package at USD50 per person by September 30, 2016 and enjoy a complimentary room with every 30 paid rooms and points for bookers that can be converted into a free night stay and more.

Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, Cotai Central

MACAO

Book more to get more. “Macao Meetings with More” provides a selection of special offers for your next meeting or event at Sheraton Grand Macao and The St. Regis Macao. Contract your meeting

by December 31, 2016 for arrivals until December 22, 2017.

Tel: +853 8113 0700 Email: sales.macao@starwoodhotels.com

Tel: +66 (0) 2100 1234 Email: eventsalescgcw@chr.co.th

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YOUR KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM STARTS HERE AUG-SEPT 2016

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TALENT DEVELOPMENT BEYOND IDENTIFYING AND ATTRACTING THE RIGHT TALENT, DO WE LET THEIR VOICE BE HEARD?

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NEEDLES IN A HAYSTACK BIZ EVENTS ASIA PRESENTS SOME PEOPLE AND BUSINESS-ORIENTED TALENT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN THE FACE OF A TALENT CRUNCH IN ASIA. WORDS: EL KWANG & THOMAS WAI PHOTOS: CHUA YI KIAT A business events destination company can pour millions of dollars marketing its destination. However, its success depends largely on its people to deliver experiences and fulfil expectations. Ambitious city-siders will tend to gravitate towards fast-paced and high income jobs to keep up with cost of living and social expectations. However the lure of glamour is short-lived. Unless one has a true passion for the business events industry, it is difficult to stay on and contribute meaningfully to this line of work for long.

Talent from second-tier cities and the region are drawn toward jobs within the business events industry. Often, their grit and possibly lack of opportunities drive their passion for success. “Bowing” to demanding customers is not as grim as the crippling effect of zero job opportunities.

Human Resource (HR) specialists are challenged to suss out the talent that look good on paper versus those who came through the school of hard knocks. It is important to understand that talent development is not a “work task” for the HR department.

Both leaders and HR should take a proactive approach in knowing your best performers, developing a one-on-one relationship with talent, and listening to their needs.

enterprises) are looking for a succession plan but do not have one. to manage conservative expectations, whether realistic or not, while managing rank-and-file teams with a much stronger sense of entitlement and demand for better work-life balance. These managers with their remaining can-do attitude who struggle to balance expectations between upper and lower managements are in need of training and development. Often, their time is spent problem-solving and coaching lower management through difficult situations. and-file with access to large amount of information do not suffer fools. Often asking “what’s in it for me?” and will run the extra mile for benefits. Their energy and work pace especially in the digital space are admired by the older management. They expect companies to deliver solid training before they are expected to do a job well.

Loyalty may not be there. They will often cash in for higher salaries if they are hired for their experience. More evidently in competitive countries like China and India, the mindset is that the current job is only a stepping stone to the next. This is until they become managers themselves and have to manage young teams with similar expectations.

However, the current real challenges are: increasing pace of macro-economic changes and higher expectations of younger customers who may be short on loyalty. Often these managers owning or working in a SME (small and medium

The strategies to combat talent crunch and manage a more sustainable work force in the business events and hospitality industries have two orientations: people and business. The middle management can be a powerful asset to the survival of competitive organisations.

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PEOPLE-ORIENTED STRATEGY: THE POWER OF MIDDLE MANAGEMENT Like it or not, the current middle management respects legacy, and these talent, when empowered, are highly adaptable and resilient; the operative words being “when empowered” here.

In today’s flat organisations, middle managers now have fewer direct reports, are asked to do more, and play a critical role in helping organisations execute strategies and achieve its desired business outcomes.

Global talent powerhouse, Talent Plus spent the past 24 months interviewing and partnering with more than 1,400 managers in the region, helping them discover their strengths and areas for improvements and development through executive coaching and training programmes.

Successful managers come from all walks of life. While some appear to be “born leaders”, in most cases, they were not even picked to be the class monitor or called “most likely to succeed” when they were young. Almost all successful managers managed to overcome setbacks and obstacles along the way, and every successful one could illustrate a positive experience with mentors, bosses or teachers.

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There are five common characteristics which define them: 1.

2.

3.

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They are highly driven - some are driven intrinsically (i.e. they have an internal drive to work hard and deliver exceptional results), some others are extrinsically driven (i.e. they are motivated by external factors e.g. wanting to be the part of the winning team and be recognised). It doesn’t matter what drives them (either intrinsic or extrinsic), but it is important they have the drive!

They are hardworking people with an open mind - they strive to make a difference. They consider multiple priorities when making decisions and have the stamina to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

They are good teachers and good learners – they develop and coach

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their team members. They want others to be successful, and are willing to share their stories and insights with others. At the same time, they keep enriching their experience and exposure, and are willing to listen, take ownership and make decisions.

They are good communicators – not only do they know where they are heading, they communicate their plans and the “whys” to their team members. They know that it is important for them to explain their actions to the team members, as this increases their chance to move forward as a team rather than a group of individuals.

They are clear in their expectations – they take charge of the future of their businesses.

They strategise their purpose and provide clear and consistent direction to their team members.

THE KNOW-HOW OF GROOMING MIDDLE MANAGEMENT Talent Plus has seen great successes in the talent management

and learning and development (L&D) programmes across the industries.

One fine example is DFS, the DutyFree Shopping Stores. They invest their resources in building leadership bench strength, and developing their talent. They also have a clear mission to strengthen their competitive advantage through their people. They treat people as individuals, and spend time to understand individual’s desire,

“Although resilience is not a common trait in Asian talent based on the observation of more than 1,000 executives, it is quite an exceptional strength should one possess it.”

– Thomas Wai, Regional Director, Asia Pacific, Talent Plus

ACKNOWLEDGING STRENGTHS AND THE ABILITY TO MANAGE UPWARDS Leaders should pay attention to the strengths and talents of their performers. No one is perfect and everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. If leaders choose to focus on how to leverage the strengths of their middle management, build a platform to enable their associates to perform, listen to their needs and fears, celebrate successes with them, show care and interest in their

development, and partner with their members for growth, they will be more successful.

Managing upwards in Asia does not mean questioning directions in a sceptical and rude manner. Managing upwards takes good communication skills and the intention must be centred on the business, not the individual.

The best way of managing upwards, is to be transparent, consistent, focused, honest and to have integrity. Without these elements, it will be difficult to establish trust and reliability.

goals, and objectives, focus on their strengths and talents, and partner with them to develop a tailored L&D journey. DFS focuses on engaging their associates and pays close attention in building up the exposure of their people and retaining their performers.

As a result, many of their senior leaders come from the ground, have worked for the company for many years, know their culture, and have experience in multiple disciplines of their businesses. They are also loyal and motivated.

Nurturing potential leaders is a marathon, rather than a sprint.

Companies who are successful in grooming their future leaders are companies that: 1. Have a clear idea of their vision and goals 2. Understand their own culture and know what works and what doesn’t work 3. Know their top performers and understand why they are successful 4. Build a trusting and long-term relationship with their potential leaders through constant dialogue and feedback 5. Able to engage and retain their performers

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INVEST IN YOUR MIDDLE MANAGEMENT: 7 EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES by Thomas Wai BEING RESILIENT IS CRUCIAL TO MIDDLE MANAGEMENT SUCCESS Although resilience is not a common trait in Asian talent based on the observation of more than 1,000 executives, it is quite an exceptional strength should one possess it. Other things observed include the rapid growth of Asia’s economy, which resulted in businesses being focused on business growth instead of investing in talent. Companies in Asia do not take a strategic view in grooming in-house talent for fear of losing them. Many companies do not take a proactive approach in exposing talents to new experiences and setbacks. Making mistakes seem unacceptable which creates a fear in trying.

FOUR WAYS TO BUILD RESILIENCE: 1.

2.

3.

4.

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Roll up the sleeves and handle the challenges. One cannot manage crisis just from reading a book.

Focus on the solutions and alternatives instead of the problems alone. The more one is good at converting adversity into opportunity, the more confidence one would gain.

Reflect on past successes and achievements to adopt a positive mindset during challenging times.

Remember you are not alone.

We all need support and listening ears. Having industry mentors whom you can confide in may assist in uncovering new perspectives and insights.

1. Improve training and provide support Do not only focus on proper training and support for senior managers and incoming new leaders. Middle managers are just as important, so prepare them to step into more senior leadership roles when an opportunity arises.

2. Set clear expectations and communicate It is essential to set expectations clearly and early with the managers.

Your managers need to know “what winning looks like,” so that they know how to spend time and where to invest their resources and energy and have a better chance in succeeding.

3. Equip them with international exposure and cross-functional adaptability In today’s dynamic business environment, academic qualifications and functional competencies alone will not make him or her leadershipready. Global and regional exposure, learning the business norms in other cultures and possessing cross-functional adaptability are all important for managers who are on the trajectory to the top. Be strategic and mindful when you come to planning these activities. Consider their talents, experience and fit.

4. Lead and manage by example What leaders do and don’t do are often watched by their associates. If senior management is not walking the talk or doing what they preach, middle managers will be confused.

6. Provide real-time, constructive and developmental feedback Providing developmental feedback does not just mean informing your mid-level managers how they can do their jobs better and it’s not productive to follow a “catch them doing something wrong” philosophy. In fact, we always encourage leaders to “catch people doing things right” and recognise the hard work and achievement by their team members, while at the same time be aware of their gaps and areas for growth.

5. Provide appropriate rewards and recognition If organisations say teamwork and people are important to the success of the organisation, they need to put their investment behind their messages. Even though compensation and benefits are not the only reasons of why people work hard, they certainly are important elements to motivate an individual.

7. Building a trusting and long-term relationship Be their mentor, coach and serve as their advisors whether they win or lose, are concerned or excited. When your middle managers know that they could turn to you when they need you, they will trust you and seek your advice. Don’t just talk the talk, but walk the talk and make an effort to develop a trusting partnership with them.

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THE REAL VALUE

AUTHENTICITY IN CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE CLEAR DIFFERENTIATOR AMONGST STIFF COMPETITIONS

PEOPLE-ORIENTED STRATEGY: THE IMPACT OF AUTHENTIC CUSTOMER SERVICE

WORDS: NEETA LACHMANDAS

In a world where goods are being increasingly commoditised and consumers are spoiled for choice, service is increasingly being leveraged as a business differentiator. Often, the difference between a good brand and a great brand lies in how much a business has invested in the design and delivery of service.

There are a few important trends and disruptors at play. The increase in technological adoption across the globe and the advent of social media have created a world that is more connected than ever before. Consumers can now take their complaints and compliments online, add to a web of information and influence how a brand is being perceived by a fast-growing community of economically mobile and empowered individuals.

People are more likely to believe what their peers tell them than what they see on an ad. Stories of shame or glory are communicated at the speed of light and often beyond the control of businesses. What businesses can control is how consumers should experience their brands, what they can do to delight them and how to effectively resolve issues of disappointment or mismatched expectations.

The Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore (CSISG), a landmark study run by the Institute of Service Excellence (ISES) reveals that satisfaction levels and revenue are positively correlated.

Its data shows that the more satisfied customers are, the more they tend to spend and stay loyal.

“People can always tell when something is insincere.

It almost appears to be an innate and intuitive ability that is part of our natural makeup.�

NEETA LACHMANDAS Executive Director Institute of Service Excellence Singapore Management University

In our 2015 Q3 Food & Beverage (F&B) and Tourism study, we found that satisfaction with the Attractions sector was directly linked to perceptions of quality while discounts had limited impact in driving satisfaction. This demonstrates that consumers are getting more sophisticated and it takes more than a competitively priced deal to delight them.

We also found that social media has a profound impact on influencing expectations. Customers who access social media prior to visiting a F&B or Tourism establishment tend to exhibit higher levels of expectation as compared to customers who did not. For businesses to stay ahead of the curve in delighting their customers, they will have to pay

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attention to an entire ecosystem of factors that correlate to service levels.

Service can no longer be relegated to mere interaction with front liners and simplistic beliefs about hygiene cues.

EXAMPLES OF SERVICE AUTHENTICITY When someone asks for examples of great service, companies such as Singapore Airlines, Ritz-Carlton and American Express come up frequently.

What this means is that there is common understanding on what great service means. When asked, consumers may point to specific instances where the company had gone out of its way to do something that made them feel good or experience an element of surprise.

Service authenticity embraces the notion of identity. Service authenticity also implies the possibility of service being inauthentic or manufactured.

When one ponders over this idea, it reveals something deeper about human nature. People can always tell when something is insincere. It almost appears to be an innate and intuitive ability that is part of our natural makeup. When service is kept at a superficial level and manifested in cues such as smiling, bowing or a series of obvious physical attributes, it is half the story told. What makes or breaks the effective delivery of this is whether the manifestation is accompanied by sincerity.

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From a Singapore perspective, the delivery of authentic service means taking into account unique attributes and even embracing stereotypes that have become a part of Singapore’s identity. Is Singapore known to be efficient? Many may find it hard to disagree with this. Perhaps, service authenticity in Singapore then refers to a brand of service delivery that is rooted in principles of efficiency and effectiveness.

On a personal level, service authenticity brings to mind the concept of service from the heart. This is where service personnel are invested in the process of ensuring that service isn’t a mechanical and emotionally void exercise or duty. Rather, it is an exercise of personal engagement that eventually leads to personal fulfilment and satisfaction for having made someone’s day or helped someone in need.

In a recent interview with Changi Airport Group, the Institute of Service Excellence was told of a story about Dushantha Baduge, Duty Terminal Manager and the Changi Experience Agents’ collective efforts in helping a passenger who was inebriated and unable to help herself.

Finding the passenger had unfortunately soiled herself, Dushantha arranged for two of his female colleagues to help her wash up while he bought her a new pair of pants. Two of his other colleagues brought her some refreshments and checked her into the airport hotel to rest. Dushantha was able to convince the passenger to remain in the terminal instead of venturing out in her state. Together with his colleague, he ensured she was medically certified by a doctor to fly before rearranging her departing flight.

To ISES, this is a great example of service authenticity because it combined the CAG-brand of service with personal initiative and selfdirected leadership that came from the heart. The team went above and beyond their expected call of duty to provide holistic assistance to the passenger.

Grooming talent towards providing authentic, heartfelt service brings value to the asking price. It also sets leadership in attracting return business with less marketing investment; an objective many business events cities long to achieve.

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EMPOWERMENT SUSTAINS SME PERFORMANCE HOW CAN SME WHICH ARE RENOWNED FOR PERSONALISED SERVICE BUT ARE OFTEN CONSTRAINED BY RESOURCES, REMAIN COMPETITIVE? EL KWANG

BUSINESS-ORIENTED STRATEGY: SME TO THINK BEYOND OPERATIONS The book “Family, Village, Tribe, The Evolution of Flight Centre” was given to me during an interview with Bertrand Saillet, when he was appointed as General Manager for FCm Travel Solutions Singapore. I was intrigued by the fact that as more retailers are going online, Flight Centre is opening more outlets in Asia.

Many companies within the business events industry are like Biz Events Asia – SME. Often, our utmost priorities are placed in operation needs and leaders are expected to multi-task. The humour made the book a page-turner.

However, the real inspiration remains how the focus on customer services and experiences turned a make-shift Australian company that was “disliked” by the travel industry due to the way they operate into the first one from the industry to be listed on the Australia Stock Exchange and now a global success.

They employed staff members based on their passion for travel instead of experience as a travel agent. The rapid growth and mega current size have not changed the company’s vision. The Flight Centre’s business model encourages team members to think and operate like it’s their own

business. And it is this mindset that empowers all levels of staff to run the extra mile to make their customer satisfied and returning.

On page 129 of the book, author Mandy Johnson who used to work for Flight Centre, wrote that the company desired to remain adaptable and egalitarian and from mid-1995 began restructuring the company into: Families – teams consisting of a minimum of three and a maximum of seven people three to five geographical teams that support each other a maximum of around 25 teams with a single tribal identity that comes together for celebration and interaction

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Exterior

The Flight Centre business model encourages its travel agents to strive for results. Each year, the leading performers are invited to the much anticipated global ball incentive trips.

This year, the three-day extravaganza expects to entertain 4,000 achievers in Singapore.

“Just know that subordinates monitor, magnify, and mimic their leaders’ every move, effectively forming a company culture. As business owners, you need to stay in tune with this relentless attention and use it to your advantage.”

SME CAN DO BETTER This story proves that empowerment works. With empowerment, ideas can be generated despite facing adversities like wars and global financial crises that threaten every business. So how can SMEs improve?

According to Thomas Wai of Talent Plus, “SME business owners need to consider their associates as capital, not as ‘digits’ on their financial statements.

They can focus on attracting the right talent instead of standard hiring parameters like education and work experience. SME leaders need to demonstrate a strong willingness to mentor and groom their future leaders, be interested in their dreams, partner them in their learning journey, share their experiences with them, and be strategic about talent development.

People will stay with you when they find that they have an opportunity to learn and grow here. Be interested in their development and help them to become better.”

Andrew Chan of ACI HR added: “Some SME may not have the luxury of having HR units, with business owners often multi-tasking a myriad of roles in the organisation and often putting the HR discipline as low priority. Just know that subordinates monitor, magnify, and mimic their leaders’ every move, effectively forming a company culture.

As business owners, you need to stay in tune with this relentless attention and use it to your advantage. Success and influence depend on correctly reading those you interact with most frequently so your leadership style and belief is

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ANDREW CHAN Founder & CEO ACI HR Solutions

echoed throughout the organisation.

What you do will either bolster or undermine the company’s performance and culture.”

improve together. Possibly work together to form sustainable intellectual property unique to the destination and the industry.

TAPPED RESOURCES THROUGH ASSOCIATIONS

BEST WAY TO RETAIN TALENT

The industry associations can be in a position to further assist SME. For example, campaign for better industry recognition to sustain business longevity which in turn, sustains the industry. The industry associations can also look into setting shared resources like marketing agencies where SME can tap onto professional assistance at a fraction of a cost until the company can form its own internal department. If members increase communication transparency and ask for help, the industry will

Talent Plus recommends several ways to keep the interest of talent, regardless of their age: Provide fair performance evaluation; Provide training and development opportunities; Develop a trusting and long term relationship with their employees; Mentor their staff and genuinely show interest in their development; and Appreciate their contributions and recognize their achievements.

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BEYOND PAPERWORK TRAILS

BUSINESS-ORIENTED STRATEGY: HR AS A STRATEGIC ROLE & TALENT SOURCING

THE RISE IN HR AS A STRATEGIC ROLE MAKES AN IMPACT ON PROFITABILITY WORDS: NEETA LACHMANDAS, ANDREW CHAN AND THOMAS WAI PHOTOS: CHUA YI KIAT

“The question is, how many HR professionals know and are trained to read and analyse the balance sheet?”

- Neeta Lachmandas.

Never before has the war on talent been more salient than today. Work has become more crossfunctional, fast-changing and harder to define. The HR profession really started with the Industrial Revolution as a way of managing control and compliance complexities. Today, the rhetoric of control and compliance has taken a backseat to innovation and speed to market. HR has to be updated to keep up with the developments of this new trajectory of growth.

The common use of the term “HR business partner” today connotes the perspective that HR can no longer operate in silos and stay isolated and administrative in nature. To stay relevant and in keeping with the business direction and goals of organisations it will have to ride the waves of change and reinvent itself as a business enabler rather than stay as class monitor.

A recent trend we are seeing is the rise of the Chief Human Resource Officers (CHRO), which catapults the role of HR from being a supporting function to one with a seat at the C-suite table. This comes with

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the recognition that employees are in fact the most important asset of any business. Because the pace of change is set to accelerate, businesses can only effectively compete and stay ahead of the game if they are able to retain their most talented employees.

What is hindering the progression of HR from a functional role to a strategic role is the lack of clarity in terms of what one should expect from a strategic HR team. Other roles in the C-suite have the benefit of legacy and specificity. Since HR deals with the most complex and fickle domain of all – people – it will need to adopt greater flexibility and nimbleness in negotiating its role and establishing where it can value add. This has to start with dialogues and common understanding. It comes at no surprise that CHROs often do not rise from traditional HR backgrounds. To take the business forward and apply a strategic approach to the HR function, the captain of the ship will need to have a deeper and more wide ranging appreciation of the intricacies of the business in order to create common understanding across functions and to do so with credibility.

THOMAS WAI:

ANDREW CHAN:

Why should the role of HR be less administrative and more strategic?

Jobs that require less creativity, compassion, strategic, empathy and abstract thinking are easily replaceable by robots and computerisation. In our industry, many administrative HR processes will become increasingly automated – namely payroll, recruitment, onboarding and time management. Consequently, the demand for strategic HR will grow. We will see future HR professionals serve as business advisers, enter the board room and play a more strategic role in the future.

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Now more than ever, the role of HR must parallel the needs of an organisation and there needs to be a continued emphasis on people as much as profits. If HR professionals are not somehow transforming themselves to be more aligned with forward thinking practices that deliver a strategic outcome, company leaders should seriously be questioning their HR teams’ effectiveness and ability to influence.

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How can HR professionals be more strategic?

Thomas Wai: First, proactively position HR as a business strategy function but not a tactical compliance unit. HR professionals need to understand the business, know what’s going on, and provide partnership and support when needed.

Secondly, create a culture and reputation that HR is an enabler, not a restrictor. Ensure that HR is providing talentrelated business solutions, not roadblocks, and enable the HR specialists to partner business unit leaders to jointly develop programmes and human capital strategies.

Andrew Chan: HR managers need to think of themselves as strategic partners in order to guarantee their viability and ability to contribute in today’s corporate environment. To add value, HR specialists must innovate and continue to step outside of their traditional roles and proactively seek out opportunities to study the business it supports, and that includes the ability to understand the company’s Profit & Loss statements. To participate and contribute in business dialogues, HR specialists must not only ensure that smooth systems and processes are in place, but consider the strategic impact from talents in their organisation.

Finally, teach our HR professionals to use the same language our unit leaders use, instead of the jargon HR use among themselves. When they are partnering with other departments, it is important to be mindful that language plays a big part in communication.

What impact would being more strategic make?

Thomas Wai: Understanding the business allows HR to align the work that they do with the vision of the company; bring in the right talents with the right fit; create outcomes that provide leaders with a direct measurement of how well the company is doing. It also ensures training and development programmes to be more relevant to the needs of the business; provide appropriate recognition and rewards for good performers to increase engagement of associates and thus, reducing the staff turnover rate; and be the culture champion to lead change and transform the company to the future state

Andrew Chan: The main impact area which makes HR professionals a strategic partner is without doubt through talent management, in all phases - recruitment, training, development, retention, and performance planning.

HR plays a critical role in fulfilling strategic goals of an organisation. It is all about creating and delivering value aligned with the company’s overall business plan, goals and objectives. HR leaders need to be strategic business partners who just happen to manage the most valuable assets of the organisation - its human capital. Companies today simply can’t afford to have a HR department that fails to contribute in enhancing company profitability through its people.

What is hindering HR role from being more strategic?

Thomas Wai: Their mindset. We all can become better if we have the desire and know-how. Unfortunately, many believe that their role as HR only involve doing cost control, correcting a procedure and be the gatekeeper of certain processes. It is important to help change their mindset.

Andrew Chan: HR best practices starts at the top. If the leader of an organisation doesn’t truly believe in and supports building a strategic HR unit that can assist him/her though its talents, then the HR role will be severely undermined.

Best employment tactics used in 2016 Thomas Wai: media challenges to improve brand image Understand the profiles of the successful associates in the company, unlock their DNAs, know their drive, how they work, how they make decisions and then use this data to formulate interview questions to evaluate if future recruits possess these characteristics

Andrew Chan: HR professionals look at talent management as strategic imperative number one, and acquiring top talent is the first step. Reducing the time needed for new employees to become productive through effective onboarding and I see as having the most potential for fostering a positive business-partner relationship is succession planning. When key positions in an organisation are open and not being filled, the business and its bottom line suffers. Successful HR business partners lead the effort to develop a long-term strategy to ensure continuous development and retention of its key employees and potential successors.

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#TalentAndMentor

THE VOICE WITHIN MENTORSHIP IN ASIA HAS NEVER BEEN MORE ESSENTIAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN ASIAN TALENT. WORDS: EL KWANG

The above are, of course, broad generalisations. Asians are sometimes criticised for not “speaking up” or expressing opinions at meetings.

However in Thailand for example, directly speaking one’s mind may be seen as “raeng”, which carries

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a negative connotation of being too forward. For generations, Asia has looked to their western counterparts for progressive practices. But with the rise of China and growth in technological innovations, Asia is now looking at creating work systems and processes that are more suited to the Asian culture and that can stand on their own merits.

Asia has a voice, and so does its Asian talent. Mentorship is crucial in the development of the modern Asian talent, which has accumulated sufficient experience to have its own vision and own mind. Its “voice” should be heard.

MENTOR WITH A VOICE Lim Ee Jin was recently appointed as Area Director of Marketing & Communications for Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) Singapore. Those who know Lim will know that she is

“

There are no good or bad mentors, it is about getting the right fit for one another; whether both mentor and mentee are aligned in their goals and aspirations, much like a marriage.

“

Those who have worked in Asia would understand the following shared traits of people culture across the vast landscape: Asians tend to be more conservative and diplomatic in speech and approach unless they are very familiar with the people they are dealing with Asians tend to avoid confrontations and rely on body language to convey feelings or thoughts they find too awkward to verbalise Asians honour hierarchy, follow directives and respect their elders at home and at work

LIM EE JIN Area Director of Marketing & Communications, Singapore at InterContinental Hotels Group

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REFLECTIONS OF A MENTEE, DENICE LIM. DENICE LIM Marketing Communications & PR Manager, InterContinental Singapore

Her personable demeanour also means that she invests her time in understanding me as an individual and is open to hearing me out. Therefore, conversations with her are never oneway, instead, there are always open platforms for discussions and learning.

exceptional at establishing a close working relationship with her team.

Beneath her demure disposition is a talent of true vision and a voice of her own.

Lim believes that mentorship is highly critical in the developing years of those who are just starting out in the hospitality industry; full of aspiration and ideals. “Gaining knowledge and chalking up experience is easy, but having the foundation of passion and drive takes a mentor to inspire and instil to a certain extent,” said Lim. Staying focused and having a fighting spirit are attributes young talent should possess as they have to overcome challenges and “naysayers”. Lim revealed that she secured her first directorial role years ago, when she was just 27 years old. She credited her journey as a “young gun” to her parents’ challenge for her to strive for the best.

She explained, “Because I am very clear of where I stand, and the value I can bring to the organisation, I never let others’ doubts bring me down. In fact, I work even harder to deliver, to match up to expectations.”

Developing a voice that will make a difference is important. She never likes to be just anyone amongst the crowd, and follow what is trending. “In the world of marketing and hospitality, where in order to stand out, you need to take what is out there and turn it into something you own. The moments when I feel that I need to voice out and share

What are Lim Ee Jin’s strengths as a mentor?

As a mentor, Ee Jin inspires me to constantly do better each day. A driven individual, she encourages and challenges me to always go beyond what I deem “good”, and to constantly outdo myself instead of settling.

my opinion are usually driven by my desire in wanting the best out of every situation, and I believe in a culture that encourages sharing and exchanging of ideas.” said Lim.

GETTING REAL Those who are thinking of leaving the hospitality industry with “the grass is greener elsewhere” perception has to face the reality that every job comes with its own set of challenges. Lim recommends talents to take the time to set out what they want to achieve in their career and make the best out of every peak and valley, because one gains most during tough times.

Over the years, the marketer in Lim became a hotelier. She reflects, “The tipping point comes when you realise you care beyond your scope of work.

Plus, hospitality is really one of those industries with some of the most passionate and fun-loving people, a group of people who truly know how to live life.”

Lim is not sure if there is a clear line for work-life balance. However, she runs, swims and cycles to balance off all the great food and wine she enjoys.

How has she shaped the way you are at work?

Under her mentorship, I’ve learnt to push boundaries and to always think outside the box. Taking reference in her boldness, confidence and strength in believing in her own ideas, I am likewise steered in the same way she carries out her work scope, as I strive to develop myself in that area.

One piece of advice she shared with me, and has stuck with me until today, is to always seek to leave a legacy wherever I am placed – not to just go with the flow, but to make a difference and leave a footprint.

If Ee Jin’s advice is not something you would take/consider, how would you tell her?

Ee Jin and I have always enjoyed a very open mentorship. So if in the event that there are certain areas of advice that I may not agree with, it is without a doubt that I will be able to share my thoughts freely with her, without the fear of being regarded any less after.

Her openness to discussions has always been something I’ve admired.

With her as a mentor, she has never allowed hierarchy to play a role in the way our discussions pan out.

Rather, she allows for meaningful conversations that have always guided me in my thoughts and decisions.

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MIDDLE MANAGERS MATTER! DR DAVID L. JONES, PROFESSOR AND PROGRAMME DIRECTOR - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS AT S.I.T SHARES HOW EMPOWERMENT IS KEY TO RETAINING TALENT IN THIS COMPETITIVE MICE LANDSCAPE. Understanding how to increase productivity is now more important than ever for organisations, with the labour crunch here to stay. Middle managers need to communicate business goals, relate to staff and lift the morale of the team which typically results in better staff retention and performance levels.

TALENT RETENTION Helping young talent to understand the business of hospitality goes a long way towards empowering them. For instance, what were the hotel’s owners looking for when they were building it and how does that relate to their expectations now?

Encouraging them to think beyond their immediate operational role puts things into perspective on how it would affect the business when they are faced with tough decisions.

Companies often wait for employees to perfect their jobs before promoting them or giving them more responsibilities. Good talent, however, sometimes leave before they even get to middle management because they do not receive the recognition or encouragement that they need. In an industry that is both highly rewarding and challenging, how can we help them to sustain that passion?

personal goals and seeking new challenges, not simply clocking the hours.

Yet, delegating work and being handsoff is idealistic in an industry that builds on personal relationships. Managing VIP delegates or running multiple events concurrently inevitably leads to working round-the-clock. We have to change how we do business with our own employees if we expect to keep the talent within the industry.

It can be about allocating comparable restdays post events, expanding the team to balance the workload or automating routine tasks to cut away redundancies.

The mentality of having to pay for one’s dues has to change from within the industry.

Perhaps the most important function of the middle manager today is to take calculated risks on people and guide them to make the leap from books to practical knowledge.

Empower the young talents with passion to make smart decisions and trust that they will succeed.

FINDING A MIDDLE GROUND Being at the crossroads of a generational shift in the workforce is especially critical.

Millennial employees have a sense of the world speeding past them. They expect their careers to move further and faster and have clear ideas of what work-life balance entails. For them, success is about achieving

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DR DAVID JONES Professor and Programme Director, Singapore Institute of Technology

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Inaugural MICE Day at ITB Asia

T

he inaugural MICE Day @ ITB Asia will be held on the second day of the regional trade show that attracted more than 10,300 attendees last year. Organised by Messe Berlin (Singapore), ITB Asia 2016 will take place at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre Marina Bay Sands from October 19-21, 2016.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS New partnerships with The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) and Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS), and a renewed agreement with the Incentive Conference & Event Society Asia Pacific (ICESAP) will provide delegates with the latest news and innovations from thought leaders in their respective fields.

SITE will conduct two sessions on “Managing Incentive Travel Programmes”, covering the three pillars of incentive travel programme management – delivery, management and service, while SACEOS will conduct a high-level dialogue session on industry

ADVERTORIAL

ITB Asia 2016 will showcase its strongest meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) offering to-date with a full-day conference programme dedicated to the business events sector.

developments and their impact on the future of the industry. They will also arrange a co-located workshop to help build capabilities amongst the MICE sector.

the travel industry, ITB Asia helps connect like-minded delegates to the latest industry trends,” said Katrina Leung, Executive Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore).

Following a successful show last year, ICESAP will continue to work with ITB Asia to curate a meetings and incentives themed session at this year’s event. Two members of ICESAP’s Advisory Board namely Bert Li from Amway China and Aileen London from Oracle Corporation will be speaking at this session.

Last year, ITB Asia welcomed close to 760 exhibitors from 73 countries, as well as 880 buyers and more than 10,300 attendees over three days.

REAL-WORLD ADVICE Held within the exhibition hall in basement 2, the inaugural MICE Day @ ITB Asia will include sessions from a wide range of industry partners, covering a full spectrum of topical issues facing the business events industry today.

“These dedicated sessions will provide real-world advice for MICE delegates, helping to keep them up-to-date on the latest developments in incentive travel and events and identify new business opportunities. As a leading platform for

A hybrid show, ITB Asia attracts delegates from across all sectors of the travel industry, including MICE, corporate and leisure companies. The trade show acts as a platform for attendees to network and identify new business opportunities. The show’s conference programme aims to help provide a holistic and comprehensive view of the latest trends, issues and opportunities in the sector.

Dr Michael Frenzel, Chairman of the World Travel & Tourism Council said, “ITB Asia is a source of great enrichment to the travel and tourism industry, not only in Asia Pacific. With delegates from 108 countries around the world, it provides valuable input as well as deep insight to exhibitors, buyers and visitors alike.”

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o t n eI

A I D IN v l e D

#

IAN E D IN F ON E I H T D , O X PLE ERSTO M CO UND T. E I IL WH AN BE INTO C RT T A E E H RK MA S THE PUT

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IMPREGNABLE JUGAAD SPIRIT ENCOUNTERING TRUE TALENT IN NEW DELHI, INDIA. WORDS: EL KWANG

“Whether you love or hate India, you cannot ignore the history, myth or charm of India,” said an attendee at the WOW Awards & Convention Asia 2016 held at the JW Marriott and Pullman hotels in New Delhi Aerocity in June.

Indeed, India is fascinating. It has a magnetic pull that is unexplainable.

This is our magazine’s first media partnership in India and we simply did not know what to expect. I did not have sufficient knowledge of the land and its people to create a strategy. I simply went with the flow and kept my mind open.

Preparations for this trip started in January 2016 after speaking with the show owner, Vishal Nagdev. Nagdev is a young energetic talent with a vision so sharp, it lured us into the partnership. It was hard to reject Nagdev’s enthusiasm.

His persistence left such a mark that during a coffee catch up with India’s PCO legend, Monimita Sarkar, Managing Director of KW Conferences at IMEX Frankfurt 2016, I asked cautiously, “Moni, what makes Indians, Indian?” Like a patient mother, she said: “El, look up the word Jugaad”.

WHAT MAKES INDIANS, INDIAN? According to the book Jugaad Innovation published by authors Navi Radjou,

Jaideep Prabhu and Simone Ahuja, “Jugaad is, quite simply, a unique way of thinking and acting in response to challenges; it is the gutsy art of spotting opportunities in the most adverse circumstances and resourcefully improvising solutions using simple means. Jugaad is about doing more with less”.

The authors also cited in the book how some international organisations found success through practising the various forms of Jugaad and recommended the following six principles: Seek opportunity in adversity Do more with less Think and act flexibly Keep it simple Include the margin Follow your heart

WOW TALENT The WOW Awards saw over 100 submissions towards event awards. For those Biz Events Asia were responsible in judging, 85 percent submitted impressive photos of conferences and incentives that invested substantially in lavish production and social media tracking.

At the event, the production was equally amazing - something you would expect to see at the American Music Awards.

Bijju Varghese Zachariah, Director of

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#DelveInto

“

is this competitive mentality that spearheaded the growth of technical production services within the events industry

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BIJJU VARGHESE ZACHARIAH Director Thot

Thot, was responsible for set design and production of the WOW Convention.

In an exclusive interview, Zachariah explained that the Indian community is very competitive. When one company sees their competitor deploy a grand production, they want their next production to be grander than the competitor’s. It is this competitive mentality that spearheaded the growth of technical production services within the events industry.

Indian clientele appreciates quality production, and production capabilities in India have come a long way. Popstar Michael Jackson has been credited with starting the event management phenomena in India when he brought his concert to India for the first time in the ‘90s. The Indian community got to see, experience and understand international production quality standards from Jackson’s concert and were inspired to produce events at such standards.

MANAGING INDIAN TALENT

Jaya Jain, General Manager Business Development of Blue Moon Travels

Have direct communication approach especially when something is not going right Be very clear with your event requirements and specifications, leaving no grey areas Qualify the suppliers’ capabilities and job scope. Know the areas of responsibilities, what tasks are managed in-house and what are outsourced Indian suppliers are eager to please and want an opportunity to provide a solution Trust your gut feel when selecting suppliers besides accolades and references. If planners do not have the time to conduct site visits before appointing suppliers, a video skype meeting is recommended As there is no real pricing benchmarks in India, always negotiate and know what you are paying for

Seek local suppliers’ advice to prevent any licensing or government policy infringements.

For example, noise restrictions and types of events allowed in certain locations for offsite events

Jaya Jain, General Manager Business Development of Blue Moon Travels said that India is now known as a quality business events destination and that it is cost effective to execute events in India.

Jain gave great advice on how to work with the Indian market:

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Innovative talent sourcing

TJ Joulak, General Manager of W Goa

Biz Events Asia asked TJ Joulak, General Manager of W Goa, about the hotel’s adoption of the concept “Casting Night” in Mumbai and Goa that attracted over 1,000 applicants.

What motivated Casting Night and what are its objectives?

Casting Night has become a tradition adopted by almost every W Hotels’ opening. With W Hotels all set to launch its first property in Goa, Casting Night was our search for the best talents (W Hotels’ term for associates) to represent the hotel - people who can bring forward the W brand while showcasing what Goa has to offer to every guest and customer. W is more than just a hotel. It is a lifestyle, and that’s why we look to recruit talents with distinctive personalities to embody the brand and deliver it’s Whatever/Whenever service promise.

For us to do that, we also need our associates and the market to understand the brand and its uniqueness, for example, its passions for design, fashion, fitness and entertainment.

Casting Night is our take of an unconventional recruitment drive. Our talent are selected in a spectacle of music and lights. This almost “reality TV” type of process encourages extra dedication from the burgeoning hopefuls and will allow the true talents to shine.

How is it different from the usual interview process?

While the traditional process of job applications still exists, we add in a social media element. We launched a social media campaign to invite candidates to submit their applications with pictures that best describe their personalities. We received close to 2,000 profiles and over 4,000 engaged conversations.

From these, the shortlisted candidates were invited for the Casting Night event in Mumbai and Goa where the first round of interviews were held. At these Casting Nights, each candidate was given a “band of approval” and led into the interview locations. The venue for both Mumbai and Goa were transformed into a W Living Room, with music, lights, screens and a red carpet to give them a real “superstar” feel when they enter. Before the interviews, I personally immerse candidates into the W Brand.

Dilip Puri Managing Director India and Regional Vice President South Asia, Starwood

Recruiting the right talent plays a vital role in the success of a brand. W Hotels are all about delivering Whatever/Whenever service and unconventional experiences to guests. Hence while recruiting, we look for talents who understand our guests’ lifestyles and are passionate about our brand’s DNA and core values. What better way to start cultivating the brand than by creating a recruitment drive that resembles a bold, sparkling environment embodying the W brand’s ethos and Goa’s state of mind.

How does a talent stand out in such a competitive casting night?

The casting is conducted in a surrounding that resembles the lifestyle experiences offered at W Hotels. There is a lot of music being played while cocktails flow and amidst all this, the potential candidates meet our senior management and heads of departments, who engage with them on a one-on-one basis. This is where we assess their personality and service mindset and identify candidates who not just belong to the world of hospitality but also have something special.

NEWS FLASH AccorHotels renews management agreement for Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and the Hyderabad International Convention Centre Located in Hyderabad’s IT and Business district, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre is a 45-minute drive from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. The 287-room hotel is connected to the Hyderabad International Convention Centre boasting 15-acre worth convention facility.

“Together with the Government of Telangana, and Emaar Properties PJSC, we have strategic and committed partners. With the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and Hyderabad International Convention Centre, we have established a world-class joint facility in Hyderabad, and one that is arguably South Asia’s finest,” said Jean- Michel Casse, Senior Vice President, Operations, AccorHotels India.

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#WiredUp

BE SMART ABOUT TECH THE INAUGURAL TOURISM TECHNOLOGY ASIA CONFERENCE 2016 GOES BEYOND GADGETS AND SOLUTIONS. WORDS: GINA SIN

PHOTOS: CHUA YI KIAT

Meetings and event venues are significant revenue drivers in the hospitality industry.

Yet hotels and other hospitality venues now have to contend with increased supply and new competition from various other venue owners – dedicated meeting space venues, repurposing of tourism assets into meeting spaces, remote meetings like webinars, screen sharing, and more.

“The Asian market is seeing apparent growth and investment, and it is becoming more and more important for organisations to fully embrace technology to keep themselves competitive and meet the rising expectations of the tech-savvy consumer,” said Rosalind Ng, Managing Director of Globe International Events Consultancy at the welcome address.

and value that they possess. He also identified competencies of the various wearable technologies available: Smartphone: Registration, keys and orders Wristbands: Payment, tracking and personalisation Smart-watch: Smarter and more efficient service through CRM access and task delegation

KNOWLEDGE-SHARING IS KEY

Topics explored at panel discussions include trends, strategies and case studies targeting operational pain points, ways to improve productivity and reduce manpower issues, cost reduction and creating a competitive advantage.

While tools like wearable technologies can help tremendously in delivering a seamless experience, those who are implementing it must recognise its operational capacities and strategise accordingly in order to benefit from them.

The 1.5-day Tourism Technology Asia (TTA) held in conjunction with Pro AVL Asia (PAA) from July 20-21, 2016, saw a full suite of products and solutions via its exhibition, conference, seminars, workshops and activities brought into play, all aimed at updating and educating the industry on how technologies can help optimise operations and create exceptional experiences for live events, tourist attractions and hospitality facilities.

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY Dr Felix Rimbach, Director, Research & Development at Globibo Singapore touched on the world of wearable technologies – how it has evolved over the years, and the opportunities

Beyond the hardware and software of tourism technology, Biz Events Asia’s El Kwang moderated a panel discussion highlighting the pain points, expectations and solutions from an event planner’s perspective, in which case was Janet Tan-Collis, CEO, East West Planners/ President of SACEOS. Joining the conversation, Deanna Varga, Assistant Director, Commercial & Visitor Services at the Australian National Maritime Museum and Andreas Wieckenberg, Executive Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage shared the challenges sellers face getting the Asian business and how to bridge the communication gap between departments.

Read more about this discussion on www.bizeventsasia.com/ wired-up-tta.

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BACK TO BASICS AVOID LAZY MARKETING BY GETTING BACK TO BASICS These days, the term “integrated marketing” has been eclipsed by shinier and trendier buzzwords, but the concept is still just as relevant. In fact, today’s marketers are expected to be able to perform integrated marketing feats on a daily basis. But in some ways they have lost sight of what integrated marketing actually is. We see it all the time: slap on a common key visual and – tada! – you have an integrated marketing campaign.

Put your campaign on three or more marketing channels and – shazam!

– that’s good enough to be called integrated.

In some ways, integrated marketing has become a shield for lazy marketing. Time to stop and think: is this really the best you can do?

WHAT IS INTEGRATED MARKETING ALL ABOUT? Marketing is essentially putting forth a specific proposition to a specific target audience with an agenda to convert the audience towards a positive outcome.

In our modern world, with its explosion of marketing channels and its wealth of content formats, we need to hold on to these fundamentals even tighter. You only need to consider three basic concepts:

PEOPLE People must be at the heart of every marketing campaign. Start by creating three personas – the persona of your brand, a representative persona of your brand’s existing customers, and one of your potential customers. Now think about the relationship between these three personas.

Dig deep and ask lots of questions – how will they interact with each other? How will the customers get to know your brand? What will “wow” them? What sort of experiences do they like? Where do they hang out and who do they hang out with?

To answer these questions, you need to understand how the latest marketing trends and channels work and how your audience uses them.

DATA We now live in the age of big data, where we can accurately and scientifically attribute particular behaviours to a particular stimulus. Data helps validate the experiences you create for your audiences. We recommend collecting two different data sets: interaction or behavioural data and profile data.

Interaction data captures an audience’s reaction to the experience you have created, be it an event, a popup store or a campaign. Profile data keeps a record of the buying habits and demographic profiles of your audience. This information will help you track of how well your three personas are “getting along” and show you what you can do better.

With technology, the collection of these data has made it more available to marketers. From data collected at registration, or the number of scans you get for a brochure download, there are options galore to help you. With the advent of event apps, you can also work in gamification features, and from there, infer the popularity of your exhibits, for example. Then, how about monitoring the amount of buzz during your event?

Did your event manage to garner more positive sentiment? Did you acquire a better understanding of your products?

Whilst technology enables, it takes a skilled and conscientious team to pick and choose the tools to use, and to plant touchpoints so that data can be collected in the most non-intrusive manner possible. Again, there’s nothing wrong with tried and tested methods – the good old survey form sometimes still works well for me.

And the final piece of the puzzle?

COURAGE Every campaign needs a courageous decision-maker to weed out unnecessary channels and messages and ask brave, challenging questions, like: how can we weave the principles of integrated marketing into our event? Can we augment it with gamification? Can we work in social elements? If you’re planning an “ordinary” marketing campaign, can you create a unique, emotional experience out of it?

The courage to answer these questions, to disregard the noise and to make “big” strategic decisions as well as smaller stylistic decisions is what will focus and consolidate your next integrated marketing campaign and separate you from the herd.

SELENE CHIN Managing Director Pico Pixel Pte Ltd

Selene Chin is the Managing Director of Pico Pixel, a digital studio. Amongst creating regular digital “things”, the studio is particularly interested in building connections that bridge physical events to the online world (otherwise known by its shinier term – O2O).

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#Knowledge

COOL DESTINATION, HOT MARKETING A half-constructed conference centre, a bludgeoning banking crisis and topping it all off, quite literally, an erupting volcano disrupting flight access to the country might lead one to forgive a destination for giving up the ghost in trying to promote itself to the international business events market. Yet in the latter years of the previous decade the nation of Iceland faced precisely this situation.

Following its 2008 profound banking crisis - unprecedented in economic history - the Nordic Gods of misfortune decided that the Eyjafjallajökull volcano should let off some steam, disrupting European air space for months. Having “ice” coolness central to their character, however, the response of the Icelandic business events industry to these challenges turned out to be not just extremely measured, but also highly innovative and ultimately incredibly fruitful.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME “The initial impact of both events was quite substantial, however the sum

turned out to be very positive in the long run,” explained Thorsteinn Örn Gudmundsson, Managing Director of Meet in Reykjavik (CVB in Iceland).

“When the smoke cleared and the ash literally settled it had solidly put Iceland on the global map and created more general awareness about Iceland than ever before – the word ‘Iceland’ has never in history been Googled as many times as post these events.”

Translating this spike in interest into a very positive signal in negative times, the first issue was what to do with the country’s half-constructed Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre.

“A lot of discussion took place on whether it should be demolished, halted and branded as a symbol of what happens when people get too bold, or should it be publicly funded and finished,” said Gudmundsson.

“The end decision was to finish the building with pride and to use it as an offensive opportunity and symbol for Iceland’s commitment and ability to serve the business events market.”

WORDS: ROB COTTER

MAKING A MARK IN MARKETING

The matter of major business events hardware settled, the next challenge was to create the bodies through which to revitalise the image of the destination and develop the right marketing campaigns that would help to realise this, hoping to reverse the 30 percent drop in visitor figures and negative image post-banking crisis.

“Tourism has been of tremendous importance in rebooting the economy, generating currency and returning to a low unemployment rate, so on one hand an immediate marketing campaign, Inspired by Iceland, was launched by the government and Visit Iceland to boost the stagnating tourism industry aimed at general leisure visitors,” said Gudmundsson. “On the other hand, Meet in Reykjavik was founded as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to serve as a focussed marketing outfit to build the market.”

“People realised that the business events industry was a very important factor in creating a healthy mix of different guest types, as well as aligning the seasonal curve and enhancing overall profitability,” he added. “The founding partners

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and associated partners in general understood the economic value of an industry with relatively flat seasonal profile and substantial higher average spend per guest than the overall average within the industry.”

Using multi-platform media channels, the results of the integrated marketing campaigns have been phenomenal: Inspired by Iceland drew on the support of the country’s entire population – even including the President in a video cameo role – and generated 60 million web hits and more than 22 million stories, giving an ROI of an incredible 61:1. Following this lead in promoting Iceland as a destination, Meet in Reykjavik continues to drive similar levels of success in the business events industry.

“The average growth for the MICE industry in Iceland has been 14.2 percent for the last four years, which is around three times the global average, and the target for the coming years is to maintain at least the same growth rate,” said Gudmundsson. “And the number of annual conferences with more than 1,000 delegates has increased twelvefold since the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre’s opening in 2011.”

“The general marketing efforts of Meet in Reykjavik are crucial to bringing the right information across and working on the true perception, so when the decision has been made for events in Iceland in general, the individual delegates want to visit the destination, thereby boosting the overall number coming to that particular event,’ he added.

TAMING VOLCANOES

Whilst the physical volcano cast a grey cloud over the country in 2010, there remain some figurative volcanoes whose rumblings could disrupt Iceland’s success in marketing itself as one of the foremost emerging business events destinations anywhere in the world.

“The greatest strength of Reykjavik and Iceland as a destination is its spectacular nature, the contrasts and its uniqueness, however this can also be one of the greatest weaknesses, as marketing a ‘nature’ destination can be quite challenging,” said Gudmundsson.

“While individual demand for Iceland is exploding, a wrong perception regarding accessibility, infrastructure and professionalism from a risk-averse MICE planner or decision maker is a real threshold.”

“Therefore clarity in message and focus on these key elements was and is crucial to creating a more true perception and then follow this up with the natural beauty,” he added. “For example, on accessibility the number of direct flights to North America is almost double that of Sweden, Norway and Finland combined, due to the Icelandair Hub connecting Europe to North America.”

MEET IN REYKJAVIK’S FOUR TOP TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL DESTINATION MARKETING: 1.

2.

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A further volcano that Iceland will be seeking to tame is in getting beyond core source markets of Europe and North America to begin penetrating the Asian market.

“The market is quite global and there exist very good connections to global air traffic, so markets like Asia are growing in importance,” said Gudmundsson. “We are currently investigating and learning about the best approach for a focussed marketing effort into that market and planning trade show participation and sales call activities for 2017, with the most likely starting markets being Singapore and China.”

“What is very interesting and what we could truly learn from the history and strategy of the MICE market in Singapore is the strong strategic focus and long-term vision building a state of the art infrastructure and mobilising the necessary marketing efforts to back it up.”

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Understand that the market is risk averse when it comes to selecting destinations, so clarity in message and focus on building a true perception of one’s ability to serve the target market is crucial Bringing together the various players that serve the MICE market and cooperating in a positive manner strengthens the positive perception of the destination and enhances the overall value proposition Public Private Partnership operational model enhances agile build-up as well as operation, creating a healthy mix of support and control from both the public side with a bigger picture and longer-term view, and the private side with a more individual bottom line focus A focus on having MICE as a substantial part of the overall tourism enhances the average profitability and more aligned seasonality of the overall market.

Biz Events Asia’s #Knowledge section is brought to you by the Singapore Institute of Technology.

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#Associations

ADELAIDE – THE BIOMED CITY WORDS: JENNIFER SALSBURY

THE RIGHT FRAMEWORK In inimitable style, Adelaide is totally re-designing its central city area.

After enjoying the warmth of the city’s friendliness and hospitality, take a closer look into this “BioMed City” and it dawns on the visitor, “ What a remarkable investment has been made in stimulating life science research to promote human well-being!”

Recruiting leading scientists and creating an environment to develop life-changing science, city leaders also ensure an integrated and effective meetings and events infrastructure that supports the sharing of knowledge.

Generally known as the “Riverbank Development”, this encompasses a regeneration project of stunning proportions. The Adelaide Convention Bureau (ACB) has a lot to be proud of.

UPCOMING DEVELOPMENTS Adelaide Casino Complex, part of SKYCITY Entertainment Group and a key element of the Festival Plaza development, is a great location for informal gathering in restaurants like Sean’s Kitchen, Chef Sean Connolly’s New York brasserie-style restaurant.

The Plaza will link the Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC) and the Festival Theatre with new commercial, retail and parking areas to the Riverbank and the Adelaide Oval footbridge.

Two privately funded developments – the Walker Corporation AUD430 million (USD323.2 million) commercial, retail and parking that is due for completion in 2020 and the SKYCITY AUD300 million expansion that starts at the end of 2017 within the pedestrianised area – will become the new “entertainment hub”, which includes a five-star hotel and 3,500 hotel rooms.

Meanwhile, the city council and state government are funding an AUD15 million upgrade to laneways connecting the Riverbank Precinct to Adelaide’s famous Central Market, enhancing access to the 70 or so small bars and restaurants.

Damien Kitto, CEO of ACB shared, “Adelaide’s Riverbank precinct, unique in its ease of access, the close proximity to the city’s two universities, the state library, art gallery and museum all next to premier shopping in Rundle Mall will

SAHMRI

become a landmark in the heart of Adelaide that encompasses all the precinct’s iconic sites”.

THREE POINTS FOR A WIN The development covers 380 hectares with three distinct precincts linked by River Torrens, forming its surrounding “green liveable space”.

Adelaide Biomed City Precinct Core Entertainment Precinct Education and Cultural Precinct The key elements for successful conferencing – Adelaide Convention Centre, Festival Theatre, Adelaide Oval, Casino and Festival Plaza – are in the Core Entertainment Precinct.

Networking at Mortlock Chamber

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One such event to benefit from the key elements is the World Fisheries Congress (WFC). Renowned for its seafood and sustainability efforts, Australia is one of the international leaders in fisheries science, conservation and management. Held once every four years, the WFC attracts around 1,500 delegates. Returning to Australia after 24 years, this joint Australia-New Zealand bid won the 2020 event for Adelaide.

The WFC was secured for Adelaide through the Conventions Adelaide Ambassador Program. It draws from SA’s key industry sectors in medicine, science, innovation and commerce supported by the ACB to bring conventions to the city giving longlasting social and political legacies.

“It is a big commitment to bring your global industry to your home town,” said Professor Gavin Begg, Bid Leader for WFC. “I found the ACB amazing throughout the whole process, they talked about their bid fund and briefed our board on the benefits. They really did a lot of the hard yards.”

ACB’s strategic partners – PCO’s Arinex and All Occasions Group – bring financial management to bear with a pre-bid budget and event management aspects acting as a general consultant.

“Sometimes this gets up to a six year journey,” stated Roslyn McLeod of Arinex.

Sharing her experience in bidding with the ACB for the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) that will bring 3,000 delegates to Adelaide

Penfolds Grange at Barossa Valley Cellar Door in September 2017 after a four year bid process, Ann-Marie Quinn of the All Occasions Group added, “All the ingredients of a good conference are what Adelaide has to offer.”

THE BIOMED CITY The Life Science theme in Adelaide is strong and the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) introduces the role of well-being in health treatment; the design of the healthcare facility includes not only the latest technology but also specially designed outdoor spaces.

The SAHMRI team, in their distinctive “cheesegrater” building, have a “partnership model” with SA Health, University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, Flinders University and CSIRO. Opened in 2014, the research covers six themes on improving quality of life, healthy living and general wellbeing. It is no coincidence that these areas of research are some of the fastest growing threats to general health within the region for a population not

only gaining in wealth but also in age.

Some topics for some of the most active association congresses are: Cancer Heart Health Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children Nutrition and Metabolism Mind and Brain Infection and Immunity Prab Takhar, Director of Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Unit at SAHMRI plans to develop an Asian Training Centre as a satellite of SAHMRI. A leading cancer specialist, Takhar commented that Adelaide is “ahead of the game and is on par with Europe” with its Cyclotron, its Cryogenic facility and other cutting-edge research infrastructure.

Gabrielle Kelly, Director of Wellbeing and Resilience Centre at SAHMRI introduces their project with the Happiness Lab in China at the Tsinghua University in Beijing and their theme of “Health, Happiness and Harmony”. The 5th Australian Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Conference in Adelaide in September 2016 will cover physical and psychological wellbeing – increasingly affecting all countries.

Supporting conferences, the city makes available wonderful locations for gala banquets. One hidden gem is the stunningly “Harry Potter-esque” Mortlock Chamber at the State Library of South Australia. The Adelaide Oval and many wineries of the Barossa, known as “spiritual homes” of Australia’s bestknown wine, Penfold’s legendary Grange are equally charming locations to visit.

These incredible developments deserve to win big!

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#OfficeAnywhere

Innovate through change CAN WORKING OUTSIDE THE BOX REINVENT THE BOX? BIZ EVENTS ASIA KICKED OFF ITS FIRST #OFFICEANYWHERE AT THE CHIC W SINGAPORE - SENTOSA COVE BEFORE HEADING TO THE LAND OF SMILES FOR ITS SECOND CHAPTER. WORDS: GINA SIN & ONG WENLI PHOTOS: EL KWANG & CHUA YI KIAT

Since stagnation inhibits innovative thinking, the objective for #OfficeAnywhere was to shake things up: remove barriers, encourage interactivity and embrace risktaking.

Chan Wee Teck, Managing Director of George P. Johnson said, “No matter how wonderful a space or environment, we all get ‘tired’ of seeing and experiencing the same thing on a daily basis. Hence, the challenge is the consistent reinvention of the space which we live and work in. That’s the motivation behind moving furniture around, switching art pieces around and the change of music to give the space we are familiar with that little spark to inspire and recharge.”

To boost creativity and productivity, the team will be whisked to a mysterious location every other month. The goals are to work amongst distractions and think out of the box, engage in dialogue with a motivating guest speaker, have an efficient team lunch and contribute at least four hours of productivity per person by the end of the day.

#OFFICEANYWHERE EPISODE 1 In this case, the distractions were the inviting plunge pool, open bar and cosy furnishings in the WOW Suite at W Singapore. The team started the day with an invigorating boot camp at one of the

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Productivity Tally Table for #OfficeAnywhere: Episode 1 No. of emails sent

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No. of phone calls made

15

No. of text messages sent

164

No. of learning hours from guest speakers

2

No. of hours spent exercising

1

No. of tasks completed

30

No. of social media postings

3

many green outdoor spaces around the hotel. Adrenaline pumping, the team got down to work at wherever they felt most comfortable around the spacious suite.

Guest speakers Supriya Ghosh, former Director of Sales & Marketing at W Singapore and Mimi Wong, Marketing Manager at Uniplan Hong Kong joined the team to talk about their experiences working in the industry and the ways they nurture talent, boost creativity and develop the tenacity needed to excel in this industry.

#OFFICEANYWHERE EPISODE 2: BANGKOK BOUND

To support an initiative to give back to the less privileged in Thailand, the team at Biz Events Asia flew themselves to Bangkok for the fourth edition of The Gang Charity Project, a non-profit organisation formed in 2011 by a group of friends in the tourism, events and corporate travel industries. Held at W Bangkok, the event managed to raise THB346,560 (approximately USD9,920) that enabled them to donate over 1,000 pairs of shoes for children in 11 schools in Thailand.

During the same weekend, the team participated in a cooking class hosted by OSHA Café – Asiatique The Riverfront’s new cooking studio, Cooking Chronicle, which was launched in May 2016. Using traditional methods with modern tools, the team whipped up Thai favourites such as Green Papaya Salad, Green Curry and Stir-fried Pork with Basil from scratch, and got to spend some time with Purida “Chef Pu” Theeraphong, whose passion and unending curiosity for food led her to become the first lady winner of reality television cook-off programme, Iron Chef Thailand.

On this new team building concept, Charline Wong, Campaign Advisor of Biz Events Asia said, “Apart from having fun and building team spirit, I felt that the #OfficeAnywhere concept has allowed me to think more creatively in managing my work and time, and helped me to stay focused in getting quality work done. Overall the experience was refreshing and I cannot wait for the next one!”

“Be aware that everyone is built differently. Sometimes I too, learn from the people I mentor. Never be too comfortable at where you are and always take the opportunity given. Get it out from day one your expectation (whether it is of someone else or for your own career progression), be willing to start from the bottom, and always try to pick the situation you go into,” shared Ghosh.

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#DESTINATIONMARKETING

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THE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER ISSUE IN A NUTSHELL

#LastWord is for busy professionals looking for a quick summary of the overarching themes covered in this edition. Should any of these pointers pique your interest, we’ve also provided some assistance to the article/section they’d come from.

A major gripe: event planners do not like standard product information that fail to go beyond basic event venue capacities and capabilities. They look for customised experiences and versatile destinations that can be re-visited again and again.

A lot of Singapore’s marketing efforts are based on the profile of business event visitors, and not the types of events organised.

Trade shows are important: a destination’s ability to suggest tailored solutions during trade show appointments will get a higher chance in converting business leads.

What the Melbourne Convention Bureau does to track and measure the economic impact of business events (beyond tourism benefits) is gather that data from business events stakeholders and compile them into a report ratified by a neutral third-party. It has seen positive results from the model.

Don’t let the opportunities slip: pop culture (and one-off technological glitches) helped destination marketers in South Korea transform the renowned destination into a bustling, must-visit hotspot for both leisure and business event tourists alike.

#TALENTDEVELOPMENT

Contributing Editor

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Middle managers can be adaptable and resilient when empowered. They will become more successful when leaders focus on their strengths, provide growth opportunities, and show care and interest in their development.

Every employee will have to learn how to manage upwards at some point. It takes good communication skills, transparency and honesty, with the intention centred on the business and not the individual.

Be real because it shows: you cannot fake good customer service. Service authenticity is from the heart, and that comes naturally when service personnel are invested in ensuring that service isn’t a mechanical and emotionally-void exercise or duty.

Successful SMEs have leaders who are willing to mentor and groom their future leaders. Subordinates of SMEs will monitor and mimic their leaders, making it necessary for business owners to stay attuned to the importance of every action and conversation made internally and to the wider industry.

HR processes will become increasingly automated, and now’s the time to move towards forward-thinking HR practices. Start thinking of moving HR out of the back room and into the board room.

But what’s stopping the transition towards strategic HR is the lack of clarity of what one should expect – it is, after all, a recent trend. Start somewhere: with transparent conversations, common understanding, and a strong captain to steer the ship.

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