Biz Events Asia July-August 2017

JUL-AUG 2017 BIZEVENTSASIA.COM

SS EVENTS

USINE ORM FOR B F T A L P E G D LE

THE KNOW

DUAL THEMES:

LUXURY INCENTIVE MANAGEMENT

#CoverStory

RICH IN RELEVANCE

HARNESS THE STRENGTHS OF A KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL AND A PURPOSE-BUILT DIGITAL VENUE THAT NOT ONLY SUPPORTS THE NEEDS OF TODAY, BUT TRULY HAS THE CAPABILITY TO FLEX AND ADAPT FOR DECADES TO COME ACROSS ALL TYPES OF EVENTS, BIG AND SMALL. WORDS: GINA SIN

Australian destinations are investing in a suite of infrastructure enhancements, institutions and talent unlike anywhere else in the region. One perfect example is Sydney, its melange of sophisticated venues and intellectual resources bring innovation and the chance to make a difference in the growing business events sector.

Reflecting its stature in the meetings scene, the latest ICCA Statistics Report places Sydney first in Australia based on the number of international association meetings held, and tenth in the Asia-Pacific.

Since the highly anticipated launch of ICC Sydney last December, the convention centre has played host to a number of large-scale events, such as Amway China, Nu Skin Korea 2017 and Babycare 2017, among others.

Intelligently built, ICC Sydney can host three major conventions simultaneously, each with their own dedicated plenary, meeting rooms and catering areas, plus a dedicated support team and integrated exhibition spaces. It is also home to three impressive theatres, including the 9,000-capacity (8,000 seat) ICC Sydney Theatre, plus 70 meeting spaces, a massive 5,000 sq m Event Deck, 35,000 sq m of internal exhibition space, and Australia’s largest ballroom, which can

accommodate 2,000 guests seated.

This venue has clearly transformed the way business events are delivered.

CASE STUDY AMWAY CHINA LEADERSHIP SEMINAR 2017

Sydney’s reputation as a destination for international business events was further cemented as the city welcomed over 8,000 Amway China delegates over 13 days in January 2017. One of the largest Asian business events to visit Sydney in recent years, the Amway China Leadership Seminar 2017 was the third time the company had brought its high performing teams to the harbour city, following trips in 2005 and 2011.

The event continued the strong relationship between Amway China, the city and Business Events Sydney (BESydney), who secured the event for the city and worked with many of its partners to deliver an unforgettable itinerary for delegates.

As part of that itinerary, the Amway team enjoyed the comfort and culinary delights of the Sheraton on the Park, The Star and Sydney Tower Restaurant.

Also enjoying many of Sydney’s premier attractions, including a trip around the harbour with Captain Cook cruises, visits to Luna Park and Sydney Opera House, and a climb of the iconic Sydney

Harbour Bridge. Finally, landing at International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) for its large scale seminars and banquet lunches.

BESydney CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith, commented: “As with all events of this nature our network of partners came together to ensure that valued clients such as Amway China continue to experience the best of Sydney. This was a great time to be able to showcase the changes that have taken place in the city since Amway’s previous visit in 2011, including the newly opened International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney). As the centrepiece of the AUD3.4 billion, 20-hectare transformation of Darling Harbour, ICC Sydney has generated huge interest from international organisations and played a significant role in Amway China’s decision to return to Sydney for a third time.”

DELIVERING AN EXPERIENCE FIT FOR WINNERS Between January 6 and 18, four groups of 2,000 delegates descended on Australia’s premier convention, exhibition and entertainment venue for an event to reward employees who had met and exceeded sales targets for the year.

ICC Sydney

Amway China conference at ICC Sydney

Sydney Opera House

Darling Harbour Theatre

As ICC Sydney’s first incentive event the team delivered a bespoke series of functions that made use of the venue’s diverse range of flexible spaces.

which sees fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, expertly combined to drive physical and mental performance – a key factor in business meeting success.

level” seminars, and its remarkable 10Gbps optical fibre backbone and precinct-wide connectivity in providing a seamless experience for guests.

ICC Sydney’s team worked closely with Amway China to create an event that would cater to a Chinese audience. The organisers were impressed with the expertise and flexibility of the precinct in delivering specialised solutions. These included creating bespoke bi-lingual signage throughout the venue, as well as the ability to support a range of event types within the overall programme.

With meals prepared by a raft of culinary professionals in one of the southern hemisphere’s largest kitchens, and served by a highly trained team, the sit-down lunches were delivered efficiently and to the highest standard.

ICC Sydney acted as a base for the trip, giving delegates the option to enjoy live entertainment in its three theatres or public exhibitions like Brickman LEGO: Wonders of the Word and The Hunger Games: The Exhibition in its double stacked, 35,000 sq m exhibition centre.

Darling Harbour Theatre, which is also a performance space, became the perfect setting for large-scale presentations, while the Grand Ballroom – within the convention centre itself – provided the ideal location for a 2,000-person banquet.

Gourmet Chinese sharing banquets catered to the delegates’ tastes and featured some of Sydney’s finest produce. This menu was crafted in line with ICC Sydney’s industryfirst Feeding Your Performance philosophy,

Guests were quick to note that they were never left waiting, or rushed to finish their food, and the hospitality staff remained courteous and attentive throughout. ICC Sydney’s team also quickly catered to a last minute opportunity to serve 50 VIPs with a newly adapted plated lunch menu of Australian dishes.

BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

Several highly successful presentations and meetings were delivered across Amway China Leadership Seminar 2017. Organisers cited the precinct’s stellar audio visual equipment as essential to creating “next-

Associate Director of Events Production of Amway China, Bert Li, said that that Amway China Leadership Seminar 2017 was a triumph thanks to a trifecta of best in-class spaces and facilities, an amazing location and most importantly, an expert team. “The ‘ICC Sydney experience’ delivered on all our expectations and we are very pleased with the support we received – both in planning the event and on the ground. The facilities were very spacious and easy to navigate for our delegates and staff were available at every point to provide assistance.”

FUN FACTS

OVER 15,000 tonnes of steel were used to build ICC Sydney, approximately three times the amount of reinforcing steel used to build Sydney’s ANZAC Bridge.

ICC Sydney’s development required enough concrete to fill 40 Olympicsized swimming pools (660,430 gallons of water is used to fill an Olympic swimming pool).

ICC Sydney sits at the heart of a

20 HECTARE

transformation of Darling Harbour, which could house over 11 Sydney Opera Houses.

The upgrade of the Darling Harbour Precinct includes a reconfiguration of Tumbalong Park, providing a new event space capable of hosting up to 11,000 people, the equivalent to just under 100 Sydney Symphony Orchestras.

The level one loading dock is large enough to hold up to 19 semi-trailers concurrently, whilst the level four loading dock can hold up to 13 semi-trailers.

Key features of the exhibition centre include its nine-metre rigging grid with a

2.5 TONNE

point load capacity, meaning it can carry nearly the same amount of weight as a Jetstar Airbus A321 can carry in the sky.

Alongside engaging events, delegates are increasingly seeking authentic local experiences while visiting destinations for business. Immerse your groups in these Sydney experiences.

01 BridgeClimb

WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo

BridgeClimb

BridgeClimb has expanded its offering with the launch of a new three-and-a-half-hour BridgeClimb experience that follows the top arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to its summit with commentary in Mandarin. The tour complements the existing shorter two and a half hour BridgeClimb Mandarin experience which follows a slightly different route. Throughout the year, BridgeClimb also operates special tours celebrating significant Chinese festivals, such as The Karaoke Climb for Chinese New Year, Moon Festival Celebrations, and has even hosted a Mahjong championship event atop the bridge.

02

Known as one of the most interactive animal attractions in Sydney, explore WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo’s wide variety of Australia’s most iconic animals and their habitats. An extensive schedule of feeds, talks and shows take place every day, meaning there is always something happening, no matter when you visit. Unique experiences include the amazing Koala Breakfast experience, which takes place weekend mornings throughout the year, or go behind the scenes to find out more about what goes on at the back of house areas. The zoo is also available for a wide range of events and functions.

OZ Jet Boating on Sydney Harbour

03

Koala at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo

Oz Jet Boating Sydney Harbour What better way to come face-to-face with Sydney’s famous icons than on the famous Red Shark boats? Available for group events, charters and transfers, groups can begin their adventure at Circular Quay – near the famous Sydney Opera House – before zipping about Sydney Harbour in an adrenalin-pumping ride to take in the sights of Clark and Shark Islands, the harbour-side mansions that are Australia’s most expensive real estate, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and more.

JUL- AUG 2017

1

SHEETAL RASTOGI EDITORIAL DIRECTOR World Travel Magazine

sheetal.r@wtravelmagazine.com GINA SIN EDITOR - DIGITAL BEA gina@bizeventsasia.com

MARINE DEBATTE HEAD OF EVENTS SOLUTIONS ASIA PACIFIC & JAPAN BI WORLDWIDE

marine.debatte@sg.biworldwide.com

EL KWANG CHIEF EDITORIAL OFFICER CO-OWNER el@bizeventsasia.com

Location: Raffles Hotel Singapore

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

CHIEF EDITORIAL OFFICER CO-OWNER | PUBLISHER El Kwang el@bizeventsasia.com

GUEST EDITORS Marine Debatte marine.debatte@ sg.biworldwide.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jennifer Salsbury

DIRECTOR Geoff Batt-Rawden geoff@bizeventsasia.com

Sheetal Rastogi sheetal.r@wtravelmagazine. com

WRITER Ong Wenli wenli@bizeventsasia.com

EDITOR - DIGITAL BEA Gina Sin gina@bizeventsasia.com

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jennifer@imcconventionsolutions.com

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION PIXO fanix@pixosolutions.com EDITORIAL & DESIGN COORDINATOR PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY Chua Yi Kiat yikiat@bizeventsasia.com

#FIRST ADJUSTED WORD EXPECTATIONS

July-August 2017

Oscar Cerezales of MCI Group once said to me: “El, you may have to adjust your expectations.” Those words unknotted my thought process. Somehow, this was the most challenging Luxury edition since the introduction of this concept for the magazine three years ago. Challenging not because there is a shortage of luxury options. It was challenging because we were searching for a deeper meaning for the word “luxury” in business events.

We are grateful for the assistance of Sheetal Rastogi of World Travel Magazine, who suggested Marrakech as an ideal destination for luxury incentive travel, and Marine Debatte of BI WORLDWIDE, who manages multi-million dollar incentive programmes, for working with us on the art of luxury incentive management.

With the help of Buffalo Events, Biz Events Asia experienced the “luxury” of helping farmers in Mai Chau, Vietnam, to create better access to healthcare, business prospects and education. In return, we were the ones being truly educated by the experience – we now

understand that the work we did was a focus on profitfor-purpose and not a charity.

To us, one of life’s luxuries is having access to professional education in the business events industry.

We are thankful for the luxury of being able to travel to Montreal and New York City to experience how C2 and PCMA demonstrated true participant engagement, so we are empowered to bring you engaging content within our Knowledge section starting from page 34.

Luxury is not just about affording certain price points.

Luxury is also about the ability to see value in what we pay for. Luxury is a perception that makes one appreciate the choices we get to make in life. Once we adjust our expectations instead of trying to exceed benchmarks during slowing economic times, we will realise that tough times are the best times to learn from.

We hope you appreciate the luxury of life and enjoy this edition.

13,619 as of September 2016

Biz Events Asia is audited twice a year by the Circulations Audit Board in Australia since 2012.

JUL-AUG 2017 BIZEVENTSASIA.COM BIZEVENTSASIA JUL-AUG 2017

Our cover image features ICC Sydney located in Darling Harbour in Australia Photo is courtesy of Destination NSW

S EVENTS

M FOR BUSINES

DGE PLATFOR

THE KNOWLE

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

DUAL THEMES:

LUXURY incentive MAnAGeMent

SALES & MARKETING SINGAPORE OFFICE Michelle Choon Director of Marketing & Operations michellechoon@bizeventsasia.com

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

Michelle Lim Director of Business Solutions michelle@bizeventsasia.com

DUBAI: Rahul Sequeira Email: rahul.sequeira@themediavantage.com Tel: +971 56 693 1213 SOUTH KOREA: 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. Reg no. 199002858D PPS 1785/04/2013 (022963) 048/01/2017

JUL-AUG 2017

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CHINA

Ibtm China Beijing | August 2017

JAPAN

Design Tokyo Koto | July 2017

HONG KONG

Hong Kong High End Audio Visual Show Hong Kong | August 2017

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Contracts Risk Management and Compliance Dubai | July 2017

MALAYSIA

Tech Trend Malaysia Kuala Lumpur | July 2017

SINGAPORE

Singapore MICE Forum 2017 Singapore | July 2017

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

www.bizeventsasia.com

SOUTH KOREA

JULY-AUGUST 2017

Comic Con Seoul Seoul | August 2017

ISSUE 24 #DelveInto Vietnam

06 #SoundBites

Biz Events Asia goes on an educational incentive trip with Buffalo Events

08 #TakingTheLead

THAILAND

TechSauce Global Summit Bangkok | July 2017

10 #FreshIdeas

30 #DelveInto Hong Kong

NEW!

12 #TopReadsOnline

NEW!

13 #TheVoiceCommunity

NEW!

14 #ThinkSpace

An increasing demand for luxury cruises is beckoning a potential for events on the high seas

35 #LuxuryIncentive Management

Luxury events go beyond its deeppocket budget.

18 #TheLuxuryEdition Connect and find magic and adventure for your incentives in Marrakech

50 #Talent and Mentor 52 #SoulSearching

Get Global Sydney | July 2017

COVER STORY

Sydney, Australia, delivers an experience that cements its reputation as a knowledge capital

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

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

Max Jantasuwan Group Managing Director Events Travel Asia

01 #coverstory

AUSTRALIA

ICC Sydney

FUN FACTS

oVEr 15,000

Rich in Relevance

tonnes of steel were used to build ICC Sydney, approximately three times the amount of reinforcing steel used to build Sydney’s ANZAC Bridge.

HARNESS THE STRENgTHS OF A KNOwLEDgE CAPITAL AND A PURPOSE-BUILT DIgITAL vENUE THAT NOT ONLy SUPPORTS THE NEEDS OF TODAy, BUT TRULy HAS THE CAPABILITy TO FLEx AND ADAPT FOR DECADES TO COmE ACROSS ALL TyPES OF EvENTS, BIg AND SmALL.

ICC Sydney’s development required enough concrete to fill 40 Olympicsized swimming pools (660,430 gallons of water is used to fill an Olympic swimming pool).

ICC Sydney sits at the heart of a

20 HECTArE

transformation of Darling Harbour, which could house over 11 Sydney Opera Houses.

01 Amway China conference at ICC Sydney

Reflecting its stature in the meetings scene, the latest ICCA Statistics Report places Sydney first in Australia based on the number of international association meetings held, and tenth in the Asia-Pacific.

Since the highly anticipated launch of ICC Sydney last December, the convention centre has played host to a number of large-scale events, such as Amway China, Nu Skin Korea 2017 and Babycare 2017, among others.

Intelligently built, ICC Sydney can host three major conventions simultaneously, each with their own dedicated plenary, meeting rooms and catering areas, plus a dedicated support team and integrated exhibition spaces. It is also home to three impressive theatres, including the 9,000-capacity (8,000 seat) ICC Sydney Theatre, plus 70 meeting spaces, a massive 5,000 sq m Event Deck, 35,000 sq m of internal exhibition space, and Australia’s largest ballroom, which can

accommodate 2,000 guests seated.

This venue has clearly transformed the way business events are delivered.

CASE STUDY amway china leadeRship seminaR 2017

Sydney’s reputation as a destination for international business events was further cemented as the city welcomed over 8,000 Amway China delegates over 13 days in January 2017. One of the largest Asian business events to visit Sydney in recent years, the Amway China Leadership Seminar 2017 was the third time the company had brought its high performing teams to the harbour city, following trips in 2005 and 2011.

The event continued the strong relationship between Amway China, the city and Business Events Sydney (BESydney), who secured the event for the city and worked with many of its partners to deliver an unforgettable itinerary for delegates.

As part of that itinerary, the Amway team enjoyed the comfort and culinary delights of the Sheraton on the Park, The Star and Sydney Tower Restaurant.

Also enjoying many of Sydney’s premier attractions, including a trip around the harbour with Captain Cook cruises, visits to Luna Park and Sydney Opera House, and a climb of the iconic Sydney

Sydney Opera House

deliveRing an expeRience fit foR winneRs Between January 6 and 18, four groups of 2,000 delegates descended on Australia’s premier convention, exhibition and entertainment venue for an event to reward employees who had met and exceeded sales targets for the year.

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

2.5 ToNNE

point load capacity, meaning it can carry nearly the same amount of weight as a Jetstar Airbus A321 can carry in the sky.

BridgeClimb

wild life sydney Zoo

As ICC Sydney’s first incentive event the team delivered a bespoke series of functions that made use of the venue’s diverse range of flexible spaces.

which sees fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, expertly combined to drive physical and mental performance – a key factor in business meeting success.

level” seminars, and its remarkable 10gbps optical fibre backbone and precinct-wide connectivity in providing a seamless experience for guests.

ICC Sydney’s team worked closely with Amway China to create an event that would cater to a Chinese audience. The organisers were impressed with the expertise and flexibility of the precinct in delivering specialised solutions. These included creating bespoke bi-lingual signage throughout the venue, as well as the ability to support a range of event types within the overall programme.

with meals prepared by a raft of culinary professionals in one of the southern hemisphere’s largest kitchens, and served by a highly trained team, the sit-down lunches were delivered efficiently and to the highest standard.

ICC Sydney acted as a base for the trip, giving delegates the option to enjoy live entertainment in its three theatres or public exhibitions like Brickman LEgO: wonders of the word and The Hunger games: The Exhibition in its double stacked, 35,000 sq m exhibition centre.

Darling Harbour Theatre, which is also a performance space, became the perfect setting for large-scale presentations, while the grand Ballroom – within the convention centre itself – provided the ideal location for a 2,000-person banquet. gourmet Chinese sharing banquets catered to the delegates’ tastes and featured some of Sydney’s finest produce. This menu was crafted in line with ICC Sydney’s industryfirst Feeding your Performance philosophy,

guests were quick to note that they were never left waiting, or rushed to finish their food, and the hospitality staff remained courteous and attentive throughout. ICC Sydney’s team also quickly catered to a last minute opportunity to serve 50 vIPs with a newly adapted plated lunch menu of Australian dishes.

Beyond expectations

Several highly successful presentations and meetings were delivered across Amway China Leadership Seminar 2017. Organisers cited the precinct’s stellar audio visual equipment as essential to creating “next-

Associate Director of Events Production of Amway China, Bert Li, said that that Amway China Leadership Seminar 2017 was a triumph thanks to a trifecta of best in-class spaces and facilities, an amazing location and most importantly, an expert team. “The ‘ICC Sydney experience’ delivered on all our expectations and we are very pleased with the support we received – both in planning the event and on the ground. The facilities were very spacious and easy to navigate for our delegates and staff were available at every point to provide assistance.”

Bridgeclimb

BridgeClimb has expanded its offering with the launch of a new three-and-a-half-hour BridgeClimb experience that follows the top arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to its summit with commentary in mandarin. The tour complements the existing shorter two and a half hour BridgeClimb mandarin experience which follows a slightly different route. Throughout the year, BridgeClimb also operates special tours celebrating significant Chinese festivals, such as The Karaoke Climb for Chinese New year, moon Festival Celebrations, and has even hosted a mahjong championship event atop the bridge.

Darling Harbour Theatre

Harbour Bridge. Finally, landing at International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) for its large scale seminars and banquet lunches.

BESydney CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith, commented: “As with all events of this nature our network of partners came together to ensure that valued clients such as Amway China continue to experience the best of Sydney. This was a great time to be able to showcase the changes that have taken place in the city since Amway’s previous visit in 2011, including the newly opened International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney). As the centrepiece of the AUD3.4 billion, 20-hectare transformation of Darling Harbour, ICC Sydney has generated huge interest from international organisations and played a significant role in Amway China’s decision to return to Sydney for a third time.”

The level one loading dock is large enough to hold up to 19 semi-trailers concurrently, whilst the level four loading dock can hold up to 13 semi-trailers.

Key features of the exhibition centre include its nine-metre rigging grid with a

Alongside engaging events, delegates are increasingly seeking authentic local experiences while visiting destinations for business. Immerse your groups in these Sydney experiences.

WorDS: gINA SIN

Australian destinations are investing in a suite of infrastructure enhancements, institutions and talent unlike anywhere else in the region. One perfect example is Sydney, its melange of sophisticated venues and intellectual resources bring innovation and the chance to make a difference in the growing business events sector.

The upgrade of the Darling Harbour Precinct includes a reconfiguration of Tumbalong Park, providing a new event space capable of hosting up to 11,000 people, the equivalent to just under 100 Sydney Symphony Orchestras.

02

Known as one of the most interactive animal attractions in Sydney, explore wILD LIFE Sydney Zoo’s wide variety of Australia’s most iconic animals and their habitats. An extensive schedule of feeds, talks and shows take place every day, meaning there is always something happening, no matter when you visit. Unique experiences include the amazing Koala Breakfast experience, which takes place weekend mornings throughout the year, or go behind the scenes to find out more about what goes on at the back of house areas. The zoo is also available for a wide range of events and functions.

OZ Jet Boating on Sydney Harbour

03

Koala at wILD LIFE Sydney Zoo

oz Jet Boating Sydney Harbour what better way to come face-to-face with Sydney’s famous icons than on the famous Red Shark boats? Available for group events, charters and transfers, groups can begin their adventure at Circular Quay – near the famous Sydney Opera House – before zipping about Sydney Harbour in an adrenalin-pumping ride to take in the sights of Clark and Shark Islands, the harbour-side mansions that are Australia’s most expensive real estate, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and more.

JUL- AUG 2017

Daniel Aswin Co-founder Absolutions

1

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

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MISSED ANY OF THESE ONLINE? SEARCH FOR THE ARTICLE CODES ON WWW.BIZEVENTSASIA.COM.

THAILAND

Exhibiting NTOs and CVBs have reported requests from their private sectors for more slots under national pavilions for IT&CMA trade show’s 25th year. Taiwan pavilion has expanded by 100 percent, Macao expects more than 30 private sector coexhibitors, one of its largest contingents ever, while Chiang Mai and Lanna have come together to commit a whopping 200 sq m. They join Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Dubai Business Events, Korea Tourism Organisation, Sapporo Convention Bureau, Tourism Promotion Board Philippines (TPB) and many more in this year’s showing. To continue reading, search for the article code below on Biz Events Asia’s website.

ARTICLE CODE: 4116

via www.bizeventsasia.com

CHINA

Kerry Prince, Portfolio Director at ibtm events describes current trends for the Chinese business events market and what buyers can expect at this year’s ibtm china trade show. According to Prince, western organisers are looking for new experiences in the east and China has woken up to its massive potential as a destination. The country continues to attract leading international hotel and venue brands to open properties in its primary cities and destinations, with new venues opening on a regular basis and a number of international hotel brands increasing their footprint in China. To continue reading, search for the article code below on Biz Events Asia’s website.

ARTICLE CODE: 4115

NUMBERS

via www.bizeventsasia.com

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654

The number of international business events Malaysia has secured in the past five years, essentially adding an estimated RM4.1 billion (955.3 million) to Malaysia’s economy.

AFRICA

ASIA

EUROPE

L AT I N A M E R I C A

MIDDLE EAST

NORTH AMERICA

Elevate Your

Meeting Experience.

Comprising two iconic towers, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is centrally located beside the Dubai Water Canal, offering a spectrum of facilities and services for a seamless meeting experience.

1,608 LUXURIOUS GUEST ROOMS AND SUITES 8,000 SQM OF SPECTACULAR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE 2 CUTTING-EDGE AUDIOVISUAL EQUIPPED BALLROOMS AND 32 MODERN MULTI-USE MEETING ROOMS 14 AWARD-WINNING RESTAURANTS AND LOUNGES SARAY SPA FEATURING TRADITIONAL HAMMAMS, A DEAD SEA FLOATATION POOL AND A HEALTH CLUB

Book your next meeting now and call +971 4 414 2000 or email jwmarquis.dubai@marriott.com

Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, PO Box 121000, Dubai, UAE | T +971 4 414 0000 | jwmarriottmarquisdubai.com JW Marriott Marquis Dubai | @JWDubaiMarquis | JWMarriottMarquisDubai

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MISSED ANY OF THESE ONLINE? SEARCH FOR THE ARTICLE CODES ON WWW.BIZEVENTSASIA.COM.

AUSTRALIA

FR O M T HE BU RE AU X

Two of Brisbane’s leading universities have won the bid to co-host the 22nd Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, to be held in 2020 for about 450 scientists, engineers, students and educators. The conference is expected to generate around AUD1.1 million (USD0.8 million) in economic impact for the city, and will be held over four days at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and The University of Queensland (UQ).

Academics from QUT and UQ prepared the successful bid, the event’s first return to Brisbane since 1980, with support from the Brisbane Convention Bureau. Search for the article code below on Biz Events Asia’s website to read the full story.

ARTICLE CODE: 4117

via www.bizeventsasia.com

CHINA The 11th Biennial ISAKOS Congress has successfully been held in Shanghai from June 4 to 8, 2017. Considered as the premier international meeting, the five-day International Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery, Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) Congress provides a variety of new and cutting-edge surgical techniques and approaches to clinical management, combined with overviews of current controversies in orthopaedic practice. ISAKOS boasts 5,000 members in more than 98 countries and regions around the world, and has met every two years since 1995.

The biennial meeting is held

ARTICLE CODE: 4118

via www.bizeventsasia.com

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alternately in different parts of the world and lasts five days.

Thanks to the persistent efforts of Chen Shiyi, Shanghai Conference Ambassador and director of sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery of Huashan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University as well as support from Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration, Shanghai won the bid in 2013 to play host to the 11th Biennial ISAKOS Congress.

For years, the Shanghai Conference Ambassador Program has had the support from the city government. Search for the article code below on the Biz Events Asia’s website to read the full story.

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ZIP THROUGH SINGAPORE’S LANDMARKS As part of The Fullerton Heritage’s ongoing pursuit to enhance the vibrancy of the precinct, guests can now enjoy the option of zipping through Downtown Singapore on bicycles and personal mobility devices (e-scooters and Segway miniPROs) effortlessly when they book select room packages at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. Whether commuting by bicycles, e-scooters or Segway miniPROs provided by Gogreen Holdings, guests can plan their personalised route and get up-close with interesting local sights and scenes as they embark on this unique experience starting from The Fullerton Heritage – a precinct offering rich heritage, fine hospitality and accessibility to some of Singapore’s top tourist destinations and 29 exciting dining concepts by the Singapore River or Marina Bay Waterfront.

PEAK PERFORMANCE TEAM BUILDING Let’s face it. Confident public speaking may not be for everyone, but a strong communication skill is one of the most sought-after skills in the business events industry, and one that can propel your business profile. Certified hypnotherapist David Ridgeway D.Hypn., M.N.C.H. has come up with a mobile app called Confident Public Speaking Now that will help you relax. The “pocket hypnotherapy” features high quality recordings from a qualified clinical hypnotherapist, four therapeutic videos to help you calm down before taking the stage, a 50tip eBook, and more.

EAT TO HEAL Go on a Temple Food experience with global DMC Pacific World in Seoul and learn how to cook temple food by a Buddhist monk. Discover new recipes and the secret behind what makes temple food unique.

Temple food focuses on eating seasonally, at the right time, proportionately and avoiding meat. It is believed to purify the body through eating naturally produced ingredients. Guests will also get to put their culinary skills to test and enjoy the fruits of their labour.

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HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR READS ON BIZ EVENTS ASIA’S WEBSITE. SEARCH FOR THE ARTICLE CODES ON WWW.BIZEVENTSASIA.COM.

HOW SINGAPORE TOURISM AWARDS MICE WINNERS SUCCEEDED WITH EVENT TECHNOLOGY The Singapore Tourism Awards aims to raise industry standards by showcasing the best of what Singapore has to offer. It also serves as an inspiration for the tourism industry to reach new heights and enhance Singapore’s appeal as a compelling destination to visit. Among the 31 individuals and organisations recognised at the Singapore Tourism Awards, eight of the awards were dedicated to business events. Biz Events Asia finds out how event technology aided some of the recipients’ success.

IMMERSIVE LEARNING IN NEW YORK CITY 800 business events strategists convened in New York City for the PCMA Education Conference held at the New York Marriott Marquis hotel and were introduced to immersive learning experiences through six unique locations across the city. Biz Events Asia flew across the globe to discover how immersive learning experiences are done there and event professionals have to say about the business events industry.

ARTICLE CODE: 4120

via www.bizeventsasia.com

ARTICLE CODE: 4119

via www.bizeventsasia.com

IACC WHITE PAPER REVEALS HOW YOUNGER DELEGATES ARE INFLUENCING MEETINGS IACC released phase one of its second annual ‘Meeting Room of the Future’ white paper predicting the meeting rooms and spaces of the future and improving meeting dynamics. Released at MPI’s World Education Congress in Las Vegas, the report reveals how emerging technology and younger delegates are influencing the way we meet, with memorable individual experiences, interactive presentation and personal development becoming the critical factors for venues and meeting ARTICLE CODE: 4121 planners to consider. via www.bizeventsasia.com

CORPORATE TRAVELLER TO MERGE WITH FCM TRAVEL SOLUTIONS IN ASIA Flight Centre Travel Group is unifying its corporate travel operations in its newly formed Asia region, while announcing plans to merge its FCM and Corporate Traveller brands in Greater China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore to deliver a consistent travel solution to corporate customers throughout the region.

ARTICLE CODE: 4122

via www.bizeventsasia.com

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MISSED ANY OF THESE ONLINE? SEARCH FOR THE ARTICLE CODES ON WWW.BIZEVENTSASIA.COM.

THE VOICE COMMUNITY IS A PLATFORM FOR PROFESSIONALS IN THE BUSINESS EVENTS INDUSTRY TO VOICE OPINIONS THAT MATTERS MOST TO THEM, WITH AN AIM TO IMPROVE THE SECTOR’S LEVEL OF STANDARDS. HERE, WE ROUND UP SOME OF THE LATEST CONTRIBUTIONS. FOR MORE OPINION PIECES, VISIT WWW.BIZEVENTSASIA.COM.

BALANCING MOTHERHOOD WITH A CAREER Fiona Batten, General Manager Australia, cievents talks about finding the delicate balance between family, children and a career. As any mother who has found herself in this position will tell you, leaving a child to recommit to a demanding career is a difficult choice, and a battle which she has had to face. Confronted by the decision of wanting to have children and start a family but not wanting to lose momentum in a career has at times left her torn.

ARTICLE CODE: 4123

via www.bizeventsasia.com

DEMAND THESE THINGS FROM YOUR TEAM BUILDING VENDOR Paul Russell, Corporate Trainer and Team Building Event Facilitator for Asia Ability Creative Teambuilding, part of the Catalyst Global Teambuilding network, believes that if planned and delivered correctly, a team building experience integrated into a business event is a great way to promote engagement, raise energy levels and deliver important learning and key messages back into the workplace. All too often the word ‘team building’ evokes images of old; groups taking part in some arduous physical activity where they are in aggressive competition with each other. Trends have changed.

ARTICLE CODE: 4124

via www.bizeventsasia.com

HOW CAN INTERNATIONAL SELLERS ENGAGE BUYERS FROM DIFFERENT CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS AT TRADE SHOW APPOINTMENTS? Gary Bender, owner and Managing Director of World Corporate Travel, PCO and corporate travel agency, and co-director of Get Global trade show, gives advice how to engage buyers more effectively, ask the right questions, manage awkward silences at appointments, and other communication techniques to get the best return on investment for the time and money spent at a trade show.

ARTICLE CODE: 4125

via www.bizeventsasia.com

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New V e n u e s

01 CHINA

Marriott International expands its footprint in Greater China with the opening of Shenzhen Marriott Hotel Golden Bay. The southern city of Shenzhen is an economic powerhouse that’s home to China’s burgeoning IT scene, and known as “China’s Silicon Valley”. Owned by Kaisa Group, Shenzhen Marriott Hotel Golden Bay marks the first resort-like Marriott Hotel in Shenzhen, and offers 317 spacious guest rooms and suites, as well as over 3,000 sq m of event space, including the 1,000 sqm Kaisa Grand Ballroom that also provides access to a drive-in limousine catering to various needs. In addition, it has a 480 sq m entrance foyer ideal preevent reception with a sea view. The hotel also features a public outdoor lawn overlooking the Golden Bay beach.

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CHINA

Hilton has announced the opening of Sanya Yazhou Bay Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, the first Curio Collection property in Greater China and Asia Pacific to join the upscale collection brand. Located on the West Coast of Hainan Island’s southernmost city, Sanya Yazhou Bay Resort is a short drive from renowned attractions such as Dongtian Park, Nanshan Temple and the unique Tianya Haijiao. The new property offers 2,000 sq m of meeting and outdoor banquet spaces including a main 1,200 sq m meeting area and nine meeting rooms, as well as 267 rooms and suites for corporates to rest their tired body and minds in.

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MALAYSIA

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ONYX Hospitality Group has launched its brand-new Amari Johor Bahru in Malaysia’s southern gateway city. The 242-room Amari Johor Bahru, is ONYX Hospitality Group’s first foray into the Malaysian market. The new city centre hotel is surrounded by the Persada Convention Centre, Komtar JBCC and City Square shopping malls, a short walk to JB Sentral and the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex, and the upcoming Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system which will link Johor Bahru and Singapore. Its ballroom can be divided to two smaller function rooms and a pre-function foyer, while other venue options include an outdoor terrace that is ideal for cocktail receptions for up to 600 people or sit-down dinners for up to 200 people.

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TAIWAN

Westin Hotels & Resorts has launched The Westin Yilan Resort, marking the brand’s first hot spring resort in Taiwan situated in the island’s northeast. Owned by Yilan Lealea Development Holdings Co., Ltd, The Westin Yilan Resort joins The Westin Tashee Resort, as the brand’s second hotel in Taiwan. The Westin Yilan Resort features 85 guest rooms and 6 luxurious pool villas, which are equipped with fresh, natural hot spring water. Mood lighting and sounds can be set up in its 127 sq m function venue for various functions, while the Westin Clutter-Free Meetings help planners and guests stay organised and productive with an open room layout and socially conscious amenities.

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vietnam

Centara Sandy Beach Resort Danang has officially relaunched, following an extensive renovation and upgrade. The site is designed to offer secluded privacy on a private beach, but is conveniently within 20 minutes of Danang’s airport and downtown, two championship golf courses, and the Hoi An World Heritage site. The newly refurbished resort now has two flexible function rooms with seating up to 90, plus outdoor areas popular for large receptions.

The garden or beachfront pool areas can accommodate cocktail, banquet or cabaret functions of several hundred guests.

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CAMPBELL’S STORES SYDNEY HARBOUR

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Sydney’s landmark Campbell’s Stores at The Rocks, a row of 1840s heritage-listed warehouses, is set for an AUD32 million (USD24 million) upgrade which will increase its events capacity. Once completed next year, there will be six additional restaurants on site bringing the total to ten. A key part of the upgrade, will be the lowering of the site’s promenade to enable the whole level to be uniform, offering the potential to host 10 ‘precinct wide’ events per year for up to 3,000-5,000 people standing with unrestricted views of the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

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AUstralia

BLOSSOM VILLA RESORT & SPA In Qinglian International Poetry Town, Sichuan Province, the hometown of poet Li Bai, Blossom Villa Resort & Spa’s multimedia room gives intimate functions an immersive experience through its surround-projection on all walls of the room. Relatively new to the international market, the venue has hosted mostly domestic events, such as a poetry recital conference (similar to the Van Gogh Alive! Exhibition).

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THAILAND

PRAANA - PANACEA KOH SAMUI The Praana Residence at Panacea Koh Samui is an expansive 4,700 sq m of expansive villa that feels almost like a destination of its own. A private tennis court overlooks the green hills of Samui’s interior, a custom-made pavilion houses a Muay Thai boxing ring, which can also be used to hold various events, two infinity pools with views of the Gulf of Samui and the lush tropical forests, an in-house cinema, nightclub, billiards room and bar, a fully equipped gym with dedicated massage, sauna and steam rooms, all affording luxurious touches for the corporate VIPs.

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+ #DEALS

Visit www.bizeventsasia.com/deals for more meeting and event packages.

SIAM KEMPINSKI HOTEL BANGKOK THAILAND

To celebrate its 120th anniversary, Kempinski Hotels is adding benefits and an exclusive bonus for meetings and events booked in one of the hotels around the globe by October 30, 2017, with a stay period until end of the year. Meeting bookers may choose two benefits from a list of value-adds.

To mark this milestone anniversary, Kempinski rewards any booker who spends a minimum of EUR 20,000 (USD22,322.8) with a Fitbit watch, for a spend of a minimum of EUR40,000 with an Iphone 7 and for a spend of a minimum of EUR60,000 with a two-night stay for two people including limousine transfer, buffet breakfast and suite accommodation in the hotel receiving the event.

Tel: +66 2 162 9000 Email: sales.siambangkok@kempinski.com

THE FULLERTON HOTEL SINGAPORE

STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS

Valid for corporate group meetings held from June 1 until September 13, 2017, with a minimum booking of 12 guest rooms per night for two nights, a full-day meeting starts at SGD90 (USD64.8) per person. Privileges include two coffee breaks with a choice of two snack items, a sumptuous lunch at Town Restaurant or at South Courtyard, complimentary use of a LCD Projector, and more.

From now until September 15, 2017, book a meeting or event at a participating SPG hotel or resort in Asia Pacific, and get a choice of three of a list of privileges, including five percent off master-billed rooms, Triple Starpoints on eligible revenue, one complimentary room night for every 25 paid room nights, and more. Plus, earn a signing bonus of 1,000 Starpoints for every event you book. You can redeem Starpoints for Free Night Awards, Award Flights and much more.

SINGAPORE

Tel: +65 6877 8145 Email: leena.menon@fullertonhotels.com

ASIA PACIFIC

Email: mice@starwoodhotels.com

HILTON BALI RESORT INDONESIA

Plan your business functions or social events of any scale with the choices of versatile indoor and outdoor event spaces including 2 conference centres, beach and gardens as well as a Balinese-themed amphitheatre like no other in the island. Get Special Group Offer from USD139 nett per room for minimum booking of 10 rooms per day.

After an entire day of meetings or just whenever you need them, it is always great to unwind and get recharged with the resort’s leisure and recreational facilities. For more details, visit the Deals tab on the Biz Events Asia website.

Tel: +62 3 6177 3377 Email: Ollivia.Saputra@Hilton.com

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T H E M A RRAKECH CO N N E CTI O N– of magic and adventure WORDS: SHEETAL RASTOGI

Photo Credit: Kasbah Tamadot

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The romance of Marrakech is easy to find and ever-faithful. It begins on gorgeous rooftop terraces where stunning panoramic vistas of mountains, minarets and palm trees silhouetted in flaming red-orange sunsets speak to the drama encountered in this desert, this legendary place. The call to prayer booms, always loud, and always seems to sound at the most amazing times – like when admiring an impossible starfilled sky – a kind of haunting, lyrical bedtime story.

By day, views of the Medina are met with hundreds of personal dramas. Laundry on the line flutters, sometimes dances in the wind. In between the clothes lines, scenes of the Jemaa el-Fnaa’s throngs of people in constant motion stream to the sound of flutes and gimbris, castanets and bongos, as tambourine players sing beside juice and spice vendors. In the middle of this scene I find myself in the richness of Marrakech experiencing a love of a culture I barely know and want to do more than scratch the surface of, but how?

My connection to the land deepened on a walk through the entryway to the Ali ben Youssef Medersa as I passed beneath the nearly sixcentury blessing inscribed in stone, You who enter my door, may your highest hopes be exceeded. Part of the magic of Marrakech is its ability to cast spells in moments such as this.

Surrounded by intensely colourful Zellij tiled-walls, the beautiful Islamic architecture – a patchwork of Hispanic and Moorish influences – only heightened my sense of wonder.

A guide I met mentioned that this was a place of learning and at one time the largest Islamic school in North Africa. He became my official Marrakech welcoming committee and regaled me with gregarious stories of what he called his people, the Berbers. With legendary Berber hospitality, the guide invited me and a few other people to tour the Atlas Mountains. We all gave him the thumbs up, not believing our luck, and became fast friends.

My fascination with Marrakech continued during a 4x4 off-road ride, following ancient caravan routes through mountainous Berber villages and nomadic camps. The trip out of Marrakech only lasted a day but felt timeless. The dramatic

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#TheLuxuryEdition

Photo Credit: Kasbah Tamadot

Photo Credit: Kasbah Tamadot

Photo Credit: Kasbah Tamadot

landscapes I encountered while trekking brought me even closer to Morocco and its beauty. We made time along the way to sample incredible Moroccan cuisine in the stunningly silent Berber Villages, a beautiful contrast to Marrakech. My favourite was Couscous with lamb.

Villagers shared some of their legends with me including the significance and power of certain rocks and rock formations. A few of the local people invited us into their home for some mint tea and an opportunity to indulge at a hammam in an old Berber house. Late that afternoon, they delighted us with traditional Berber music and dancing.

A stop at Hôtel Kasbah Tamadot was the perfect end to my day of trekking and exploration. Visually stunning, nestled in the mountains, the experience helped my soul sing a new song. Going high into the Atlas Mountains had resulted in me casting off any doubts I had that I would only scratch the surface of this place. I enjoyed a delicious fruity Moroccan Zanata from the appellations between Casablanca and Rabat, and found it an excellent way to cool the heat of the day, perfect when served with the restaurant’s delicious tagine pescado.

Back in Marrakech, a short drive from my mountain paradise, I strolled among The Gardens of Enchantment at La

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Mamounia Hotel & Spa, a marvel of Arabic-Andalusian architecture.

I chose to treat myself to one of the exceptional Riads for my stay and its luxury was beyond compare. Laying in the gorgeous tiled courtyard made me feel like royalty.

The Spa at La Mamounia lured me to the pinnacle of indulgence with another hammam experience because I couldn’t get enough of the decadent black soap and ghassoul treatment. Having every inch of skin rubbed with the nutrients invigorated my body, mind, and spirit in ways no other spa treatment had every done before.

The sensuality of Marrakech held me spellbound. Just when I thought I’d experienced something a touch too marvellous, another encounter came around setting the bar higher. La Sultana was just such an experience.

I wound my way through the Medina to La Sultana, a small, five-star

boutique hotel. I met my friends at the rooftop restaurant, feeling like a Sultan at this point. I breathed in the relaxed, majestic moment as I took my seat at the table, trying to bottle the exotic dinner party somehow, for my return home.

Places this impossibly beautiful seem like dreams as did the Medina below. Afterwards, we visited the La Sultana Spa – which looked more like a palace. One of my friends disappeared inside after reading about their Candle Massage of Argan oil, prickly pear oil and Shea butter, scented with spices and honey.

Later I spent the day losing myself in the storied Medieval Medina, stopping at souks that caught my eye. Here I shopped for exquisite Moroccan shoes and eyed a few carpets, there I tried on scarves and silver jewellery. I lingered over some rings. The hubbub of the Medina proved to be an elixir of adventure and excitement.

The Westin Bund Center Shanghai One of Shanghai's most iconic hotels located in the heart of Shanghai, a short walk to the world famous Bund waterfront, providing guests convenient access to Shanghai's eclectic shopping areas, celebrated restaurants, famous local attractions, and major business districts.

With 18 meeting rooms of various sizes and personalized meeting butler service, The Westin Bund Center Shanghai is the right place to make your business event.

For more information, visit westin.com/shanghai or call 86.21.63351888 88 Henan Central Road, Shanghai 200002, China

Š2016 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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

I returned to La Mamounia by horsedrawn carriage. Well, why not? An afternoon of lounging by the pool turned into cocktails at The Churchill Bar where I stepped back into the 1930s and sounds of Jazz.

I shared stories about my time in the Medina with some people I’d just met and we put our heads together marvelling over our pictures, happy about our purchases – Argon oil for the skin, Harissa paste, Berber carpets, rugs, black soap, a few kaftans, and a tagine. They mentioned they were staying at Palais Namaskar and invited me there to see how beautiful it was.

I couldn’t resist. They stayed in the Pool Palace which appeared to me like a mini Taj Mahal with extravagant marble floors and gold dome crowns.

The next day my new friends joined me for a trip to Jardin Majorelle which set my imagination on fire when I learned of Jacques Majorelle,

A SENSE OF LUXURY WORDS: EL KWANG

Newly appointed regional managing director and creative officer for Asia Pacific at global interior architecture firm Wilson Associates, Leonard Lee, knows luxury, having worked on some of the leading hotel brands like Sofitel, Kempinski and The Ritz-Carlton. Lee had a quick chat with Biz Events Asia to share how he defines luxury in design.

Lee started the conversation by stating that luxury to him isn’t about the obvious things one sees around the hotel. For the hotels Wilson Associates designed, the company ensured that each of them has a “soul”. In Lee’s opinion, it meant the space’s ability to create an emotion upon arrival. This “soul” has a far greater sense of purpose. Often in design, a sense of anticipation can be induced in the hotel living room lobby concept by carving up spaces into intimate ones.

Wilson Associates’ approach to design holistically creates a story whereby the designers can guide through the experience before planning the spaces and decorating them. It is all about the details that go beyond just the brand, and understanding what the end users want and staying in touch with trends through research and staying at other hotels. Identifying the gap whilst observing trends is key to leading in the industry. The current trend for hotel room design is going back to the traditional approach where end users no longer want an open plan in the accommodation room. Instead, they prefer different zones like separating bathrooms from bedroom and working spaces.

If Lee were to build and operate his own hotel, the sense of luxury he creates will be one that motivates repeat patronage. A hotel where everything works and one that provides great service.

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a man who painted with plants in his exquisite garden. It took four decades of traveling to find all the exotic plants and bring them home to this masterpiece of a garden.

Rich fragrances made the stunning visual playground a feast for the senses as did the sounds of birds, frogs and creatures that inhabit it. It’s easy to understand why this is one of the top destinations for tourists in all of Morocco.

On my last night in town, I met up with my friends and we promised each other we’d return one day as we headed out into Marrakech by night. I sipped a mint tea by candlelight surrounded by a sea of stars at The Patio of Le Comptoir Darna and finished the evening toasting under the stars at Café Arabe. As I laughed and danced, the city stretched out before me in a dramatic panorama, and I realised the blessing at Ali ben Youssef Medersa came true – Marrakech exceeded my highest hopes.

PHOTOS: CHUA YI KIAT

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#Delve into

VIETNAM

How Buffalo Events educates Biz Events Asia that helping developing communities requires a drive for profit for a purpose.

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PROFIT FOR PURPOSE WORDS: EL KWANG PHOTOS: CHUA YI KIAT

Graham Harper

Like any business, trade publishing businesses like ours are facing immense pressure to remain valid. The definition of media has broadened and our role has gotten confusing. The rise of “fake” news and the plethora of digital news channels are making it harder to cut through the “noise” in the marketplace. At times, I feel totally lost and overly caught up in wondering what our customers and readers want. I questioned our purpose.

Our collaboration with Buffalo Events came after months of discussions. Months because we wanted to have a real sense of purpose other than just another annual incentive trip to thank the team for their unceasing efforts in making our business successful. Buffalo Events was selected because we wanted a good dose of reliable experience on the reality of life outside the city we live in and to travel “responsibly” – both of which are qualities their educational programmes are known for.

We decided that the trip was to be all about a different kind of education and we did not want to fold any business agenda into the experience. We wanted this new experience to inspire new ideas where possible, then we packed and flew to Vietnam.

THE WILL TO TRAVEL We flew into Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, and were greeted by Buffalo Events’ Jo Aigner, Regional MICE Product & Operations Manager and Jade House, Content and Social Media Team Leader. Away from city comforts, it would then take us on another four-hour mini bus drive to get to the location where we learnt and experienced most: Mai Chau District.

The arrival hall of Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport has counters selling SIM cards with affordable data plans for our social media habits. For city dwellers like us, having access to social media eased any reservation we had about the four-hour drive. Also, the promise of a Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) stop and our hope to make a difference to local communities sharpened our will to travel the distance (first world complaint, really).

Never did we realise then, that the fourhour drive was the start of what would most probably become our steepest learning curve in 2017.

NOT AN ACT OF CHARITY According to Buffalo Events and Buffalo Educational Travel (BET), responsible travel

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JAMES MICHENER American author

means creating travel itineraries that can transform how travel impacts local communities, wildlife and the environment. Working with companies like Buffalo Events where the products and services have no hidden damages and are in fact beneficial – from child and animal protection to anti-human trafficking, from improving local communities to preserving nature and local cultures.

As travellers, we could be confused about whether corporate social responsible (CSR) activities are really impactful or just another act of charity.

If we were to help build schools, are we even qualified to do so in a way that the building does not risk lives? If we were to visit orphanages, would our “gifts” negatively impact the orphans psychologically? Often, our intention should answer this question clearly: “Are we helping our guilt or the local communities?”

With years of teaching experience and a Masters in Environment and Development Education, Graham Harper, Manager of BET said during our journey to Mai Chau: “What you are experiencing is not a charity act!”

We later learnt that what Harper and his team do is focused on profit for purpose and that there is a strict five-step process in establishing professional project management. It is a serious business, and projects are carefully selected.

BET first considers helping the poorest families of an area in need. The mindset must be long-term, as the conversations and agreements between all parties (BET, villagers and their

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“

If

“

you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.

leaders, sponsors and government organisations) often take years to complete - it takes time to earn trust.

The five-step qualifying process include: 1. Leadership – does the chief of the village have the leadership to ensure that the agreed work is carried out and that the benefits can sustain until fruition?

2. Participatory decision-making process – the ability to engage in this as everyone plays a part in the decision-making process to ensure maximum outcomes.

3. Community facilitator – usually a local or native-speaking talent who can facilitate conversations and keep progress in check. For example, BET’s executive Tung Nguyen Song was the community facilitator responsible for the programme in Na Chao, which we participated in. Tracking process,

4.

5.

donations and outcomes are crucial for accountability reasons.

Financial contributions – the project and activities should contribute financially back to the families of the project and help them generate sustainable incomes.

The selected community has to strive and work for the desired outcomes – this is where projects differ from charity. The community must work so the project has a sustainable profit for a purpose.

CSR ACTIVITIES THAT MATTER “Do not ask the communities to do something they cannot,” explained Harper. That sentence made perfect sense. The communities need assistance that has a greater impact, like road access. Gaining planning

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO VIDEO CODE: 4206

via www.bizeventsasia.com

permission from the government and creating road access literally means creating access to healthcare, education and opportunities. We were given an opportunity to work with the Na Chao community in building a road. As one can imagine, it was hard work.

Another activity was building irrigation systems for local farms. The impact could double the crop produced each year, thereby doubling the family income.

Lunch was served in a purpose-built homestay about 15 minutes away on foot from the road construction. The BET programmes also help villages in preparing local dishes that are suitable for international visitors. Local chefs mentor villagers on food, health and safety best practices so that they can be well-equipped with handling the income-generating opportunity. With the creation of these homestays also comes the opportunity to learn about tourism and the spirit of hospitality.

This way, visitors get to stay with local families for that true local experience and lengthen the duration of their stay to help complete outstanding projects.

The villagers in turn extend their warm welcome through local performances and gatherings.

There are other accommodation options like the Mai Chau Ecolodge that is available within a short drive away for those who may not be ready to be fully immersed in the local environment.

CRUISE OUT IN HA LONG BAY As it was our first visit to Vietnam as a team, we took the opportunity to inject a bit of fun into our incentive programme.

We spent two days cruising around Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on board Emeraude Classic Cruises. The cruise accommodates up to

Photo credit: Jo Aigner

Photo credit: Jo Aigner

WHAT DOES ROAD ACCESS MEAN TO THE PEOPLE OF NA CHAO? According to BET, Na Chao is the most povertystricken area in Bao La commune (a small commune of Mai Chau District). The eight villages of 2,371 people within the Bao La commune rely largely on agriculture, which provides an approximate income of USD15 per person each month. It will take decades to build the necessary infrastructure and they need access to transport their goods to the main towns.

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Ha Long Bay

74 persons and is available for exclusive charter. Activities can also be tailored to incentive groups.

Those who love the great outdoors can venture out to explore Sung Sot Cave (also known as Surprise Cave), or have a hike and a swim on Tip Top Island before visiting the Pearl Farm. Others who prefer to chill on the sunny deck to read a book can attempt cooking or tai chi classes. The cruise can also arrange a movie night on the deck post-dinner along with a couple of night-caps.

Buffalo Events also works with Bhaya Group, a cruise company popular with international corporate groups, which offers a bigger fleet of luxury cruises suitable for groups of various sizes to visit Ha Long Bay. Bhaya Group is renowned for their responsible cruising programmes like Save the Langur, Bhaya Community and Bhaya Green, actions in environmental protection.

A NIGHT OUT IN HANOI From Ha Long Bay, we checked into Hotel de l’Opera Hanoi, MGallery by Sofitel, for our final night. The boutique hotel is located right in the heart of the city and is within walking distance to high-end shops and local amenities – the choice is yours. You can choose to have a fine dining experience at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi before a performance at the Hanoi Opera House, for example, or stroll across old town to the night market before an outdoor

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Hotel de l’Opera Hanoi MGallery by Sofitel Surprise Cave

casual dining experience at Quán Án Ngon restaurant.

Before departing, take a morning stroll along Ho Haon Kiem Lake with the locals or visit the Temple of Literature and other cultural experiences to further immerse yourself into the destination. A coffee from Cong, a funky local coffee chain before checking out of the hotel is a definite must.

ADJUSTING FIRST WORLD ATTITUDES One thing we have learnt regarding working with local communities is the importance of putting empathy before sympathy. We have to drop our first world attitudes and help the locals only in areas they need help with. E F Schumacher, author of Small is Beautiful, once famously said: “If people do not want to be helped, leave them alone.” What works in our world, may not work in others. Giving back is not

Quán Án Ngon restaurant

about feeding our own ego and reducing guilt for having a “better” life.

Dr Ernesto Sirolli of the Sirolli Institute, a leader in local economic development, said in his “Want to Help Someone?

Shut Up and Listen” TEDx talk in September 2012 that based on his years of mistakes, the first principle of aid is respect. As first world citizens providing aid to developing communities, we have to humble ourselves to be servant to a local passion. From there, help them find knowledge and solutions. We must not sit in an office. We should sit amongst the local communities, ask them what they need and listen to them.

Solutions that work in our first world, may not work for them.

In 2016, Buffalo Educational Travel’s clients made direct financial contributions of USD130,426 to communities which includes job creation. Health is a critical factor in poverty alleviation. BET also successfully managed nine community health placements in over 65 communities and serving more than 9,000 patients.

We aligned with Graham Harper’s belief when working with communities - to know the block and invest in returning via block removal. It is not a charity. It is collaborative hard work that must generate profit for a purpose.

Photo credit: Jo Aigner

WATCH & READ WATCH The video Biz Events Asia created on our experience in Vietnam. Search for the video code below on our website.

VIDEO CODE: 4207

via www.bizeventsasia.com READ Gina Sin’s soul searching article from a KOTO experience in Hanoi that touched her heart on page 52.

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HONG KONG

Biz Events Asia heads to Hong Kong to discover the rising potential of hosting meetings and incentives on the high seas.

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LET YOUR D R E A M E V E N TS SET SAIL WORDS: GINA SIN

Zodiac Theatre

At a press conference held at the Zodiac Theatre on board Genting Dream, Dream Cruises’ primary luxury vessel and the first-ever Asian luxury cruise line, Michael Goh, Senior Vice President – Sales, outlined a spectacular growth in cruise tourism.

Annually, the Asia Pacific cruise market has seen an increase of 29.3 percent in passenger capacity. While this does not indicate corporate travel and event numbers, such a growth is signifying an increased interest and potential in the cruise market.

Hong Kong’s flight connectivity to 1,128 cities has not surprisingly scored key markets for business events including China, India, Indonesia and South Korea, with growing interests from the U.S. and Thailand.

ALL IN ONE The structure of corporate cruise packages saves organisers the hassle of hosting events at separate venues, of coordinating with a multitude of suppliers, and gives companies an all-inclusive value for hosting their meetings and incentives on board a cruise ship, covering accommodation, meals, entertainment and the use of corporate and recreational facilities.

Launched in the last quarter of 2016, Genting Dream is a floating, 1,674-room “integrated resort” purpose-built for the Asian market. For meetings, the Zodiac Theatre offers 999 seating for conferences, live performances and even a 3D cinema.

395 headsets are also available for multilingual interpretation. Tributes, a stylish venue for functions and seminars, provide 244 sq m of events space, while two intimate boardrooms span 41 sq m.

Notable cocktail party spaces include Palm Court, which features an observatory, a bar, and a partition that enables the option to convert to a closed-door area for private events, spans 495 sq m and can accommodate up to 495 people standing.

Unique venues comprise of, but are not limited to, the first-ever Zouk beach club at sea, Johnnie Walker House – also another world’s first out at sea – for an immersive whisky culture experience, and the Dream Dining Room, which is ideal to host a banquet or have an outdoor party with an oceanview.

Some of the special dining options include Bistro by Mark Best, a celebrity chef

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Bistro by Mark Best

restaurant featuring contemporary Western cuisine, Silk Road, a decadent, old-glamour Chinese fine dining restaurant, as well as Umi Uma, which serves premium Japanese cuisine throughout its sushi bar, alfresco, and grand teppanyaki tables.

Camaraderie is built naturally with its diverse and engaging host of team building facilities, including a waterslide park with six different slides, a stunning 610-metre wrap-around promenade, zipline, mini-golf, a thrilling ropes course and rock climbing wall.

The ultimate in luxury at sea is redefined in the Dream Palace, a “ship within a ship” experience featuring 142 suites with highly personalised Europeanstyle butler service, an exclusive pool and sundeck, fine dining in a private restaurant, and use of an exclusive gym.

Set in luxurious comfort, entertainment on board is highlighted by thrilling shows and gastronomic options showcasing 35 dining concepts. Other entertainment include sports bar with billiards and a four-lane glow-in-thedark bowling alley, and an outdoor day and night party deck. Guests can also head to Bar 360 where the unique “theatre-in-the-round” design allows guests to enjoy live entertainment from all angles or unleash their inner rockstar in five private karaoke rooms on board.

Genting Dream also presented an opportunity this summer to discover a whole new underwater world in two state-of-the-art submersibles. Designed to carry one pilot and four guests, passengers can explore the spectacular sights under the Okinawan waters and marvel at the dazzling array of marine life and seascapes. The submersibles are also capable of hosting a wedding underwater.

To educate, stimulate and inspire, Dream Cruises envisions and creates a range of interactive activities and experiences presented by a portfolio of world-class speakers on board

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Genting Dream, with a diverse programme featuring a series of enrichment talks and events.

“Our goal is to deliver inspiring journeys and to help create memories that will last a lifetime,” said Thatcher Brown, President of Dream Cruises.

“This summer, we are proud to launch the first-ever Little Astronaut Training Camp, to be hosted by Dr. Leroy Chiao, a former NASA astronaut who once stationed at the International Space Station for 229 days. As well, Mermaid Kat, the professional mermaid from Germany, will also host a Mermaid Academy on board Genting Dream, for a unique and truly unforgettable vacation experience on the open seas.”

SET SAIL TO CULTURAL PORTS Among the top 10 destinations by total calls in 2016, Japan took the top spot, with Hong Kong, Thailand, China, Philippines and Indonesia recorded as the top five growth markets.

In April this year, Genting Dream began her inaugural itinerary to Okinawa, Japan, from her dual homeports in Hong Kong and Nansha.

Over four thousand International guests and crew joined the inaugural cruise which arrived in Naha on April 4, then Miyakojima on the following day, marking the official debut of Genting Dream’s Journey to the Island Gems of Japan summer itinerary.

Until November 2017, Genting Dream will have dual home ports, in Nansha, Guangzhou, as well as Hong Kong, before calling Singapore its home port starting December 2017. As the Asian cruise industry continues to grow, Genting Dream will increase available cruise days in Singapore by approximately more than 20 percent in 2018.

Itineraries from Singapore will include more tropical and urban destinations, such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Phuket, Surabaya and North Bali.

Zouk

Dream Dining Room

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connecting the Chinese incentives, business travel and meetings industry to the world

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#LuxuryIncentiveManagement

T H E B E SPOKE PH IL OS O PH Y What sets luxury event and incentive travel management apart from ordinary business event planning is more than just the deep-pocket budget.

WORDS: MARINE DEBATTE, GINA SIN

Camp Nou Store privatisation

Remember the last time you arrived at a luxury event and got enthralled by its delivery? Whether it is opulence dotting every nook and cranny of a venue, an atmosphere pervaded by understated extravagance, or A-list talent appearances, one thing is for sure: these events create a sense of exclusivity and stir emotions to create positive and memorable experiences.

PROFILE AND ENGAGE For most, if not all, events are a huge piece of a marketing strategy that help companies to build brands, reach new markets and reward top performers. Using a bespoke approach, the production is put together with

extraordinary attention to detail.

The end-to-end service of a luxury programme requires organisers and ground crew members to be proactive, digging deep into who the guests are and what makes them click. Take time to understand the demographics of your audience and find out what will be special for them, because what goes into the details will provide the chance to make them feel like you know them.

Higher and more sophisticated demands necessitate flexibility, which beckons the creativity needed to customise and personalise. It is not just about the money. Apart from having the budget to pay for a certain experience, it is about

coming up with and creating access to experiences that clients would otherwise not be able to obtain – money cannot buy experience. To truly engage is the ability to make guests proud of what they are doing, even having them share those special moments on social media.

A good profiling of the VIPs will also define what you will be doing, bearing in mind that more often than not, less is more. The more experienced your guests are to incentive programmes and events, the more used to these programs they are, so we then need to push ourselves to go even further and not make yet another gala dinner, another welcome cocktail.

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THE MIDAS TOUCH There is a fine line between doing too much and letting guests have their own time. For luxury incentive tours, guests are not interested in ticking boxes. They want to enjoy, relax, and be at their own pace. Maybe they have friends in town, maybe they just want a lazy morning with their partner, have time to recover from jetlag or see that exhibition or show everyone is talking about. Isn’t freedom the greatest luxury? We’re not talking about activities here, we’re talking about experiences: painting on lotus leaves, fly fishing, learning how to surf, etc.

On a grander scale of conceptualisation, it takes experience, skill and the know-how to make impressive experiences with what’s available in your destination. It is to think things from a different perspective and staying open to different concepts, such as transforming a museum, stadium, cellar, garden, tree or attraction into a dinner/lunch/seminar venue.

Imagination has no limits, but to inspire, events need the right talent at the right place for the right people.

That’s a very precise mix!

Onsite management needs the right fit and support to handle all aspects of the event process and any last minute changes. Having at least one alternative plan is ever more crucial with high-profile events. The higher the level, the less predictable guests are. A car should also always be on standby for VIPs – a must to cater for last minute requests/needs.

To cater to luxury experiences, nothing is too small to be of importance. Do not underestimate the little things, check for their birthday; if it’s mothers’ day in your destination that weekend, and make sure water is always available!

One of the most critical pitfalls an event organiser could ever make is the lack of cultural awareness. As events are taken Abbey Road Studios

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Group JLR DOTY Hawaii Missouri Boat Dinner

far and wide globally, being culturally aware is the foundation of respect and communication, and why we all love the business events industry! Beware of hotel standards, our Asian guests will have higher standards and when travelling to Europe or North America, think about getting a kettle in their room. Hot tea, cup noodles, those are little pieces of home that even the most discerning travellers appreciate from time to time – a little bit of home!

have to be overcomplicated. The ability to anticipate needs and serve them will mark a significant moment for the guest. After all, luxury event attendees attend dinners all the time. How far would you go to wow them? Here are a few examples of how BI WORLDWIDE took on the challenge and turned conventional destination perspectives on its head:

SURPRISE RECORDING IN ABBEY ROAD • This was a gathering of 200 couples ranging 45-65 years old, from 26 nationalities, well-travelled, business owners. While hosting this special incentive programme in London, BI WORLDWIDE had planned a Rock & Pop tour. Even

Abbey Road Studios

Another tricky one is the gifts – this is one challenge that requires a very deep local knowledge and some cultural awareness too. For example, no umbrella for Chinese, no knives for South Koreans, no alcohol for Muslims, and no cloth handkerchief to Vietnamese unless you want to break ties with them! One rule of thumb is, if you go for bulky items, be prepared to ship it back to their home. They will not want to pack anything big in their suitcases.

The simplest things – primal needs – are what require the most attention. Food makes or breaks an event experience. While exceeding expectations may seem like the prerequisite for exceptional experiences, it doesn’t mean things

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though visiting Abbey Road Studio (usually not open to the public, it’s a working studio), participants were surprised when they got the chance to record a song of the Beatles in the historic studio where the iconic group did nearly 50 years earlier.

There was so much emotion, fun and surprise! A video and a CD was created, and this entire edition remains the best one in 15 years for the guests, just because that was a proper once-in-a-lifetime experience – one hard to beat the next year for sure! On the DMC’s side, that meant careful planning to keep the element a surprise, but there were also challenges, such as finding a Korean/Chinese/Thai singing coach for some of their groups.

PRIVATISE A STADIUM • While planning a programme in Barcelona, Spain, we were looking for an impressive venue. We had planned the historic portion at Casa Batlló and had one last evening to create. While visiting the FC Barcelona Stadium, Camp Nou, we originally were not sold on the idea. But then, we realised that by privatising the VIP Suite on a nonsoccer game night, we gave the feeling to our group that the whole stadium had been privatised when

Camp Nou Dinner at the suite

what we really paid for was only the suite! The store was arranged to be opened after hours for exclusive shopping, a private tour and then dinner at the suite with the best view you can get on the stadium and more importantly, the feeling that you own the place. This shows that you don’t have to pay the big bucks to impress your guests. Careful and smart planning will get the right impression without having to break the bank and staying open to ideas is key!

Hawaii Missouri Battleship Farewell Welcome

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HAWAII BATTLESHIP • While planning the farewell dinner in Hawaii, BI WORLDWIDE was looking for something exciting. Private clubs, beach dinners – these were rapidly labelled as “been there, done that”. When looking at some activities, a USS Missouri visit sparked an idea: how about bringing them here for dinner! The impact on the guests was stunning – an exclusive feeling, a private dinner and something they could never have done on their own!

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AM W A Y K O R EA AN N U A L L E ADERSHIP SY M P O S I U M HEADS TO D U B A I A case study in numbers: how JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai pulled off a conference and incentive programme for Amway Korea in March 2017.

03

600 The number of attendees who attended the conference and incentive programme, all of whom were high-ranking associates.

The number of visits the Amway planning team made to JW Marriott Marquis Dubai – starting January – prior to arrival to discuss needs and expectations in order to ensure a smooth service delivery.

90% 48 The number of hours to plan ahead for each day.

Daily conversations are held with the operation teams.

Weekly conversations began in February with major departments to discuss potential challenges and develop risk mitigation plans. WhatsApp groups were created between the customer and the individual operations teams for quick changes to plans and addressing guests’ last minute needs.

Percentage of attendees who did not speak fluent English. However, the hotel utilised its culturally diverse team of associates and relocated all Korean speakers from outlets and administrative departments to assist in communicating with the Amway guests. The hotel has staff from over 70 nationalities.

01 MONTH Chef Choi worked with JW Marriott Marquis Dubai’s hotel chefs one month in advance to develop and adjust menus that would please and delight the guests and provided specific ingredient lists a month in advance, so the hotel could work with suppliers to obtain the most authentic ingredients for the dishes. Chef Choi flew in from sister hotel, JW Marriott in Seoul just to support this conference and incentive programme.

350 The number of Club sandwiches made on the fly in 90 minutes, apart from the importing hundreds of boxes of kimchi from Korea. The hotel managed to make it all happen through sheer teamwork, but JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is also one of the only hotels in the UAE capable of hosting groups of 1,000 or more to eat, meet and sleep.

Everyone in the hotel team had to have their responsibilities clearly outlined and communicated. In terms of product replenishment, the hotel was fortunate to have flexible suppliers, which ensured that late deliveries could be arranged, and to provide enough products for the Amway guests and the many others staying in their 1,608 rooms.

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A R O U N D THE CU S TO M ER AccorHotels is executing business event strategies focused on the customer experience.

WORDS: EL KWANG PHOTOS: CHUA YI KIAT

Kerry Healy

The Incentive, Conference and Event Society Asia Pacific (ICESAP) together with principle partner AccorHotels has launched the first Agency Accreditation Scheme and Distance Learning Certification Programme during a press lunch held at Raffles Hotel Singapore.

This was followed by an ICESAP members evening networking event at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and Spa on May 11, 2017.

In an exclusive interview with Biz Events Asia, Kerry Healy, Vice President of Sales, Asia Pacific for AccorHotels, explained that with the increase in the number of brands and services within AccorHotels over the past 12 months, the company has focused on engaging the meeting and event customer through direct conversations. “Activities like the recent customer advisory board meeting gave us feedback on critical areas of our business, like what they are expecting next, which helps us with our future campaigns. We also feed their comments back to the hotel teams. Such information helps our hotels understand the upcoming trends in food & beverage,

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for example, and how to close the gap during the enquiry process. We learnt how we can better deliver that customer service experience so customers keep coming back to us.”

Healy expressed that AccorHotels has been building effective systems and processes around the customer – delivering more information about the preferences of the planners and their guests. Engaging mystery shopping and coaching partners, developing professional talent development courses and forming working groups to realign operation procedures that marry the customer experience and expectation are integral parts of the meetings and events business strategies.

Speaking to Biz Events Asia at IMEX Frankfurt 2017, Markus Keller, Senior Vice President, Global Sales Organisation at AccorHotels supports Healy’s comments from a global perspective. He said that it is a good time to be in the meetings and events space as business in buoyant. “We take the opportunity of the integration with the FRHI brands to align the way we

are focusing on the customer in our sales process. I think there are some great best practices that come out of the integration to make sure that the customers are at the centre of what we do and to move towards a more relation-based sales approach than a transaction-based sales approach, which is particularly important in the luxury space. But in general, the meetings and events space is what we want to focus on,” said Keller.

Keller also said that AccorHotels LeClub Meeting Planners (LCMP) programme will remain the centre of their communication with their members, but also for rewarding them. The FRHI loyalty programmes will be integrated into LCMP in early 2018.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACCREDITATION ARE KEY TO INDUSTRY SUCCESS Nigel Gaunt, President of ICESAP, sees the need for ICESAP as a

hotels in the next five years,” said Healy.

Meetings and events training are critical to AccorHotels’ success. The company revamped their training programmes about two years ago. The accreditation programme will value-add to their training objectives and allow suppliers like AccorHotels to understand and work securely with agencies with the qualified levels of professional and business insurance in today’s unregulated environment. “Education is the best way to communicate expectations in the business,” added Healy.

ICESAP evening networking event at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort

professional industry body to partner with a professional education body like William Angliss Institute to introduce the Certification in Incentive, Conference and Event Management – Level One. “We see the need for our industry to appeal more to the future generation of talent as a viable career. People may not be aware of the huge opportunities in the industry. Three global agencies (BI WORLDWIDE, MCI Group and Uniplan) have worked with William Angliss Institute for content development to ensure its relevance; that it is contemporary and not just from an academic perspective,” said Gaunt.

Megan Harris, Corporate Trainer and Head, Sales & Marketing, William Angliss Institute said that the certification is created in Asia

Pacific for the Asia Pacific region and provides knowledge across those areas. “It is important for industry staff to understand everything about the industry from the client perspective, the operations perspective and the outcome for the delegate,” said Harris.

The certification promises to be affordable and accessible to anyone, not just the ICESAP members. The course is online and aims to cater to the availability and work commitment of the individual taking it. ICESAP sees the certification as a structured acknowledgement to the skills, expertise and experience the industry colleagues have.

EVENT PROFESSIONALS AGREE Erica Hegarty, Head of Sales for Asia at Pacific World, said at the ICESAP evening networking event that as a global event agency, it is important to keep the highest quality of services and professionalism. Professionals should have access to continuous education whilst keeping abreast with market trends and the knowledge needed to do the job. Having recognised industry accreditation also makes a difference at global business pitches.

Lisa Johnson, Regional Account Director of Jack Morton, said that the marketplace is cluttered with all types of service providers. Clients should be working with true professionals who can deliver on their expected return on

“ICESAP’s commitment to education very much aligns with AccorHotels’ vision and ambition with the opening of 250

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Lisa Hopkins

“Education is the best way to communicate expectations in the business.”

KERRY HEALY Vice President of Sales, Asia Pacific AccorHotels

done as well, which led to issues and problems. It has also led to customers who are not sure of what and who they are buying from. Such accreditation will give customers a degree of guarantee that they are working with an agency that is experienced, professional and financially sound.

investment and meet their marketing objectives. Having this professional accreditation will make these clients know who the financially sound professional agencies are in the market.

According to Johnson, some clients do not understand experiential marketing agencies like Jack Morton. They will only look at a project from the event execution perspective and costs associated with that. They may not understand that forming strategies for experiential marketing is a long process and quite “upstream”. It is important for clients to bring experienced agencies in at very early stages – much further upstream so they can collaborate with creative agencies from above the line and with digital agencies to ensure a fuller integration. Johnson also expressed that it is an exciting time for the events industry, as the digital age is taking events into a different place in the marketing and experiential mix.

Lisa Hopkins, Managing Director, APAC, for BCD Meetings and Events, shares similar sentiments with Johnson. She said that for a long time now, the events industry has been operating in a very disjointed and fragmented way. The travel industry has done a good job of ensuring their industry is well regulated.

However, the events industry has not

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“ICESAP’s Asia Pacific approach is very bold and we need bold in this industry. I hope everyone gets behind it as our observations over the past few years indicated the necessity of such accreditation specifically for this big and diverse region. As an industry we should try to achieve certain standards together,” said Hopkins.

Hopkins believes that industry accreditation will also improve communication between customer, agencies and venue partners like Accorhotels. It will also allow the agency to be fair to all parties. It promotes better transparency and better education across and have an understanding of the needs of all across the supply chain. According to Hopkins, BCD has a strong DNA in operating with transparency and integrity. When asked if transparency can lead to profitability, Hopkins replied that their clients understand that BCD needs to be commercially viable. BCD believes that by focusing on doing the right thing by the customers, charging fairly, provide great service, value and experience, clients will come back.

Hoping that the accreditation programme will attract the next generation of talent, Hopkins provided a sound advice to new industry colleagues, “Our industry is diverse. So, think about what you are good at and where you can make a real difference,

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and really focus on that as that is where you will draw your passion and inspiration.”

SOLUTIONS BEYOND THE MEETING ROOMS Lisa Johnson’s advice to venue operators is the importance of understanding the type of clients they are bringing and the kind of service required. Venues need to understand the difference beyond a delegate per head cost.

In response to Johnson’s comments, Kerry Healy explained at the ICESAP evening networking event that AccorHotels is committed to delivering solutions that are built around the customer throughout all stages of a piece of business. They ensure that the right person is speaking with the customer. For example, having chefs speak directly to the event planner when it comes to tailoring menus for their event, to suggesting using other unconventional spaces like poolside and herb gardens as breakout and postmeeting drinks venue options.

Referring to the food showcased by Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and Spa at the ICESAP event, “We have a huge focus on food and beverage at the moment. Nigel Moore, our Vice President for Food & Beverage, Luxury, South East Asia, is focused on working with brand and product and changing the way we deliver food and beverage experience to our meeting and event customers. We will make food and beverage a pinnacle moment for our customers which is so relevant in the Asia Pacific region,” said Healy.

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I M M E R SIVE EVENT E XPERIE NC E El Kwang’s quest for a deeper sense of engagement brought him to new event experiences in Montreal and New York City.

WORDS AND PHOTOS: EL KWANG

Opening Ceremony at the Big Top

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Aquarium

How did “engagement” become the current buzz word for business events? Was it due to the fact that we have been too distracted by innovations like emails and social media channels that were meant to make connections easier? Was it because event planners are struggling with exceeding the content benchmarks they set for themselves? Or has information been too accessible via the internet that event participants no longer see the value in attending events?

Haven’t we all played the “blame game” when we felt that the conference and trade show organisers failed to meet our expectations or deliver on the return on investment we find harder to define or guarantee our bosses with? Yet, many of us find it hard to make time filling in postevent surveys to properly offer suggestions on how our expectations could be met.

Whether you prefer to be called a delegate or participant, you need to know that the new generation of events will have you think twice about the blame game. The new generation of events like the two I attended in Montreal and New York City require you to drive and work for your own returns, simply because these event owners understand that no participant can be fully engaged 24/7. These event owners have such niche following that sessions are booked out as soon as they are released.

Maybe, they simply do not waste time on hard-to-please participants who do not feel the need to be proactively productive at events.

Here are my key takeaways from the two events:

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C2 MONTREAL WWW.C2MONTREAL.COM Oscar Cerezales of MCI Group suggested that I should attend this event. Those who know Cerezales will know that he is not too worried about political correctness, which allows others to take full responsibility for their own words and actions. His frequent “it is up to you” comment motivated me to try something new even for a person who is not afraid of change. Of course, one of the draw cards of C2 Montreal was its founding partner, Cirque Du Soleil. That brand gave the perception that this event would engage all my senses – and that was exactly what I experienced.

VISION WITH INTEGRITY The event owners have a clear vision.

They were not interested in creating yet another show at traditional event spaces. Possibly, their participants didn’t want that too. They sourced a location that allowed it to grow with the show; somewhere that allowed them to stay true to their creative flare. Possibly, an integrity C2 fans expected them to upkeep when it comes to the event vision. The owners were also selective with their association with sponsors; sponsors who appreciated and shared their vision for commerce and creativity – hence the name C2. According to some participants I spoke to, it was this integrity that allowed the event to gain respect and trust.

The city’s charismatic Mayor, Denis Coderre, was present to support the show and used his opening speech to align the Montrealers’ innovative spirit with the impact of C2 to the city’s development - asking the participants to leverage on the C2 experience to think global but act local.

of chirping birds in the new arrival hall. The floor plan was clearly divided into purposeful zones that facilitated participants according to their interests.

To take advantage of the warmer season in Montreal, participants ventured outdoors to get to the Big Top for the plenary and selected breakout sessions.

Surrounding the Big Top were other breakout spaces made of marquees and old sheds. Also amongst that were dedicated outdoor communal dining areas and sponsored catering booths made of recycled storage containers with access to fashionable trucks serving different types of food and beverages.

IMMERSIVE BUT NOT DISTRACTING C2 offered a range of masterclasses, workshops and labs - some were highly

Braindates

BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED After getting through a smooth yet tight security, 6,000 participants were greeted with an audio-visual replica of a rainforest, complete with the sound

An example of a breakout venue

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Outdoor networking space

Sky

first time, no one was interested in who I worked for, which was refreshing.

Instead, they were genuinely interested in my passion. “Braindates� were literally the dating of the minds. You could express your passion via your profile and others could request a date based on that and you searched for dates with passion you were interested in.

immersive. For example, Aquarium was a glassed-in room where the voices of different speakers who were keen to share their ideas were broadcasted across the halls whilst their words were digitally transcribed across the LED tracks. Sky was a dedicated space where five strangers brainstormed topics of interest intimately whilst seated and captured new ideas in the sky. Cake was designed like a Montreal kitchen party where different groups of 10 participants collaborated in creating one of many layers of a super-large cake which was then distributed to the crowd for consumption when all layers were completed. It is up to the participants to contribute and perform under different learning circumstances.

I met many creative talents whose confidence in creating the next technology solution inspired me. I also met an ex-banker who became a school teacher that specialises in helping youth find their passion and connecting them to the right mentor in the business world. I met the owner and founder of Ask Pam, Pamela Alfred, who turned her passion for customer service into a plug in concierge solution to C2 using a combination of human service providers and advanced technology. I have to say, her concierge service did make a big difference to my pre-event experience as I was feeling a little overwhelmed by a brand new experience in a city I have never been to. Isn’t this how all event planners like myself really want their participants to feel? Event planners want to engage their participants from the pre-event right through to the post-event stages.

I left the date with Alfred feeling like anything was possible when our passion drives our profitable business plans.

LEAVING IT UP TO THE PARTICIPANTS This was one of those events where I did not feel bad for not attending certain plenary or breakout sessions because the learning opportunities were everywhere. Learning is even possible through striking a conversation at the fancy sparkling water bars. Sure, there were long queues for the popular sessions, however it was entirely up to me to work hard and drive my own return on investment amongst 6,000 strangers.

If I wanted to laze around the resting areas that looked like campsites, I could.

If I wanted to network the hell out of my investment through braindates, I could.

No one was there to pressure me and I was free to do whatever I want, learn in whichever way I wanted. If the event owners have provided such an inspiring and immersive environment and yet I could not learn, I really only had myself to blame.

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BRAINDATES That was my favourite part of the event.

For someone who could literally have a conversation with anyone, I was ironically out of my comfort zone. This was because the event attracts participants from all walks of life and interests and as a first time visitor to Montreal, I felt out of depth. I was glad I pushed on. For the

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PCMA EDUCATION CONFERENCE NEW YORK CITY WWW.PCMAEDUCON.ORG WORDS: EL KWANG PHOTOS: CHUA YI KIAT

From mixing with total strangers at C2, I flew to New York City to mingle with some 800 loyal fans of PCMA. This was a united community who understood the pains and gains of being a business event strategist – a more professional term for meeting planners. This was not just a fancy new label to appease the next generation. Most of the participants were way too experienced to just talk about the art of event planning. They were there to learn about engineering the correct strategies that would make a real difference to their company’s business profile and financial well-being. PCMA’s challenge was to deliver new immersive learning experiences to a crowd who may be more used to a more structured learning approach.

THE WARM WELCOME Magician Marco Tempest showcased his latest innovative flying gadgets incorporating video and digital

technology that changed his business and the way he engages his audience.

Opening keynote speaker and behavioural scientist Matt Wallaert explained the power of removing inhibitive pressures from promoting pressures to help people learn more about things they love doing, easier.

From there, the event professionals and suppliers strolled to the Rockefeller Plaza in perfect summer weather where, convention bureau, NYC & Company, wowed participants with a Tony Awards themed entertainment at the outdoors welcome reception.

THE SIX IMMERSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES The most anticipated part of the programme was the immersive learning experiences where participants travelled on foot or transfers to one of six different locations across New York City. PCMA took on the challenge and

risk associated with dispersing some 800 people in an organised and timing manner based on the topics designed to suit the respective locations: • Leadership & Performance session held at the Tavern on the Green • Show & Exhibit Design session held at the newly transformed Jacob Javits Convention Center • Making Data Work for You session held at the Microsoft Flagship Store • Production Design session held at the New Amsterdam Theater • Imagination & Creativity session held at the Grand Ballroom of the Manhattan Center Guided by purple balloons and branded signage, Biz Events Asia attended the Design Thinking session sponsored by the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau held at Convene, a contemporary event space located on 117 W. 46th St. The key take away from this session was learning how to use observations of explicit and tacit knowledge to solve problems and create sustainable solutions. Design researchers achieve best results when personal knowledge of the situation and judgement are not in the mix.

THE ENVIRONMENT TO CONNECT

Play

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The catering area was named Connect.

Dedicated areas like Engage, Drink, Play and Explore are set up colourfully with different furniture to serve its functionality. For example, planners and

An example of a breakout venue: Convene, a contemporary event space Luke Williams, on his topic of Disruption

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sponsors get to mix and mingle over a game of table tennis in the Play area.

Like C2, it is truly okay if participants just want to mingle at connect instead of attending any of the sessions.

events industry, “Get involved as much as possible from the beginning, join associations like PCMA to learn from the best, find a mentor who can help you and provide solutions”.

THE PASSIONATE PROFESSIONALS

THE PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE CLOSING

Throughout the knowledge sessions and catering breaks, the participants networked and knowledge-shared at every opportunity. Their hunger to learn were mirrored by their focus and respect for the benefits they seek for their association. Those who spoke with Biz Events Asia expressed that they feel respected for what they do.

Professional education help them to learn, embrace and manage the changes the industry is facing.

Now that the business event strategists have learned new and disruptive strategies for their next event, how do they confidently pitch for the management’s buy-in? PCMA roped in Australian and Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business and a Fellow at Frog Design, one of the world’s most influential innovation companies, Luke Williams as closing keynote speaker on this topic through five key steps: 1. Craft a disruptive hypothesis 2. Define a disruptive market opportunity 3. Generate several disruptive ideas 4. Shape a disruptive solution 5. Make a disruptive pitch

On the importance of education, Young leader and Associate Director, Marketing and Events of Ipreo, Amanda Grandal said, “We are in an everchanging industry, so it’s definitely important to remain up-to-date with technology and engaging attendees on site is what drives me here.”

Caitlin Hume, Meetings and Events Manager of RIMS – The Risk Management Society gave sound advice to those who are considering joining the

Williams took the audience through an “idea description” exercise where participants at their respective tables worked as a collective mind to reintroduce an existing product like the

Rubik’s Cube like the way iPod disrupted the market with their product description during the reigning era of CD players: “A digital music systems that allows people on the move to carry 1,000 songs in their pocket by synchronising a portable device with an online music store”. The energy generated through such hands-on exercise could not be duplicated through streaming.

Williams explained that the best way to sell an idea was the idea owner not to lose control. In fact they have the control to choose the label of the idea and deliver it in a summarised and easy to understand description to grab sponsors’ attention. Once gaining the attention, pitchers should not spend more than nine minutes at providing further details on why the ideas were conceived. There were three groups of incubators who presented their disruptive ideas during the closing plenary and the audience could see the immediate difference when the presenters practised what they had just learned from Williams. The key lesson for idea pitchers was that we must move the audience from “why” to “how” and leaving them on a high with ethos or benefit – which was how I felt as I left the final session of this year’s education conference.

My only word of advice for those who are serious about professional education is that it is time to participate proactively in the events you enrolled in. Stop the blame game as it will only hinder your professional and business growth.

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#TalentandMentor

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IN SYNC In an interview with Biz Events Asia, two special event professionals share insights into the right skills, talent, and drive needed in this demanding industry.

MENTOR: DAVY FROMENT DIRECTOR OF LUXURY AT UNIPLAN HONG KONG

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A TALENT? The hunt for talent is much like searching for a diamond in the rough, the rules of the search only differ slightly when regarding the seniority of the mentee. When searching for a more junior profile I look mostly at where the individual’s curiosities have affected their curriculum vitae, this could be anything from hobbies to various types of commitments they have undertaken in enhancing their knowledge and understanding of the sector.

Not only does this demonstrate a selfmotivated individual but it reflects a personal passion which is the driving force for success. For a more senior profile, I would pay close attention to their expertise already visible in addition to the other interests showcased by the mentee. Unfortunately, senior profiles tend to talk less about their personal investment in activities relating to their field due to their commitment to their current occupation. However, it is still important to look for that diamond in the rough, their personal assets mixed with a strong professional profile can turn a candidate into a unique talent, a great value for any company able to understand it but most importantly, a strong push for the mentee’s personal development that will reflect on the career plan.

WHAT DRIVES YOU? I believe that we all have personal and professional elements that drive our behaviour. The professional part of

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me is committed to the responsibility given to me, the people we hire are tied to their salaries to live and I am responsible for the stability of their employment. Me failing puts them in danger, and this is a huge professional driver for me.

In a more personal approach, I have always felt that I wanted to make something that matters, something that speaks to my own self-motivation. The further into your career you get, the lonelier it can become, at some points you have to become your own source of inspiration. This opens up new doors, new challenges and keeps one engaged as it empowers me and grows my self-confidence. I also look at the sources of my inspiration and try to reduce the space between them and myself each day. It can be a scale of creativity or business, in any case I keep believing that the sky is the limit and I try to prove myself right a little bit more every day.

WHAT IS THE CULTURE YOU HAVE BUILT FOR YOUR TEAM? To believe in what you do, to produce work that you are proud of and to keep your eyes on the horizon. The culture has grown around developing confidence and perspective, basically all the skills you need to drive a car!

HOW DIFFERENT DO YOU THINK THE NEW GENERATION OF EVENT PLANNERS WILL BE LIKE AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THE INDUSTRY CAN DO TO HELP THEM THRIVE? My belief is that we are going to see a very diversified market of talent blooming in front of our eyes. The potential of all these new areas of expertise will be like a rainbow of talent in comparison to what we are used to today. I imagine groups of event planners with more versatility, with the capacity to wear different hats more and more. Even switching between producer to account manager to creative with ease.

The market needs to become as flexible

MENTEE: SASHA WAN PROJECT MANAGER OF LUXURY AT UNIPLAN HONG KONG as the structure that hires the new talent. It needs to be brave enough to adapt its expectations to the quality of innovation. This is going to be challenging considering we are not talking about just one-shot events, but campaigns, global strategy and brand management that stretch the scope of the talent market.

WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS TO BUILDING AND SUSTAINING A SUCCESSFUL MENTORMENTEE RELATIONSHIP? Trust, empathy and resilience. It is very important to be able to let someone drive for you when you feel lost or too busy to think, you need to have trust for that. Understanding is also essential to anyone that advises a person and not a robot. You need empathy. And to last for the long ride, you need to have your own quota of resilience, simply because even with all the help you will have, you are the only one who can make it for yourself.

Hailing from France, Davy Brice Froment brings 10 years of experience working with high-level clients from the fashion and luxury sector.

Hints of art around brands evolve alternately, and Davy proves to be one of the savviest to harness this to his advantage. With a preference for art-meets-brand collaboration, the Paris-born fiery gent transmuted his expertise from Givenchy to implementing all-inclusive consulting with his virtuoso. After all, he is clearly a lateral thinker, generalist, and specialist. From visual communication to architecture passing by fashion, this multidisciplinary background creates innovative visions that have been seen since the last 10 years.

Today, Davy Froment leads the overall Luxury Department of Uniplan with a strong focus on art-meets-brands philosophy.

WHAT DRIVES YOU? Creativity, ambition and adrenaline. Creating memorable events, places where people can get an extraordinary and unforgettable experience. For example, I love the thrill you get backstage during a fashion show when the lights go off, the music comes on and the models walk out. It’s so rewarding especially after long weeks of hard work. It’s the best feeling ever!

HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD? I believe communication and transparency is the number one key to any human relationship. So, when the dialogue is properly installed between two people, both voices are heard. Davy is very open to honest conversations, so if there is something to discuss good or bad, he listens and we find solutions together.

WHAT ARE YOUR ASPIRATIONS AS AN EVENT PLANNER? My aspirations would be to create events people will remember and talk about in 40 years. I am proud to represent an international agency such as Uniplan and I strongly believe that it will bring many great opportunities in the future.

HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IS HAVING A GOOD MENTOR/ MENTEE RELATIONSHIP AND WHY? It’s crucial! I believe it is very important in someone’s life and career to have one. It’s all about sharing, teaching and guiding for both of them. Mentors have a lot experience and can pass on their knowledge. The mentee often comes from a new generation and can bring a new vision. It’s all about sharing and building a constructive relationship where both mentor and mentee can benefit from.

WHAT ARE YOUR MENTOR’S STRENGTHS? Davy is able to identify and understand the strength and weaknesses of people. That is how he works with his team, by dividing tasks in a way he gives everybody their strengths area. Not only does he focus on people’s strengths, but he also helps and find solutions to improve the weak spots. In addition to that, he gets his team involved and always ask for every member’s opinion. I value that a lot in a mentor.

HOW HAS HE SHAPED THE WAY YOU ARE PROFESSIONALLY? Being a very organised person, I always welcome tips and insightful ways of working.

Davy has given me great advice in how to structure my work better. He has also taught me a lot regarding the relationship between agency and client. As two creative people, we also like to brainstorm, share ideas and bounce back on each other’s creativeness to reach the best creative concepts.

WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS TO BUILDING AND SUSTAINING A SUCCESSFUL MENTOR-MENTEE RELATIONSHIP? For me, the recipe to a successful relationship would be honesty, respect and communication. Sharing and listening to each other without criticism also plays a big role.

Born in France and raised in between Paris and Hong Kong, Sasha Wan first got a degree in Fashion Design. After multiple internships, she decided to focus on the Communication and Marketing side of the industry and got a degree in Fashion Business and Management. After getting numerous work experience in communications, marketing and project management for various luxury brands across the globe, she decided to go back to her childhood city Hong Kong. Her skills include project management and client management, covering conceptualisation to strategising.

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#SoulSearching

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HE A RT O F GO LD The passion and dedication of a man’s quest to empower and improve the lives of at-risk youth in Vietnam.

WORDS: GINA SIN PHOTOS: CHUA YI KIAT

Generosity takes effort. More often than not, it requires the space to take our minds off our own problems long enough to look at someone else’s; we may be too busy trying not to drown. But what does it take for us to gain enough confidence to know that we can actually share the part of us that desperately wants to hoard?

On an incentive trip managed by Buffalo Events, Biz Events Asia had the opportunity to meet Jimmy Pham, KOTO Founder and Global Ambassador of the non-profit organisation that helps transform the lives of disadvantaged and at-risk youths in Vietnam through its holistic hospitality training programme. KOTO, which stands for ‘Know One, Teach One’, is built on family values shared by staff, trainees and alumni, which creates the synergy necessary to deliver effective and meaningful training, as well as create a livelihood for these youths.

To date, the social enterprise pioneer and philanthropist has now graduated nearly 1,000 trainees who form the extensive KOTO Alumni Association (KAA). Pham first witnessed the plight of at-risk youths on the streets of Hanoi in 1996 when his professional background in tourism and hospitality management brought him back to Vietnam to operate a tour. From a sandwich stall manned by nine street youth in 1999, KOTO has grown into an internationally recognised and award-winning nonprofit social enterprise providing a 24-month intensive vocational training programme in life skills, English language and restaurant hospitality for these disadvantaged youths in Vietnam. This is delivered

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Jimmy Pham

Chef Cong

through KOTO’s national training centre and campus in Hanoi and its training restaurants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

As part of the Educational Travel Asia team at Buffalo Tours, Biz Events Asia had the opportunity to experience an exclusive cooking class helmed by Chef Cong, an alumni of the foundation’s programme and an amiable personality who shared with us his humble background and how he far he has come from being a troubled

youth through a mesmerising culinary session on Vietnam’s fresh produce and its local cuisine.

This experience was undeniably a highlight for the team in our trip to Vietnam, a journey that altered our perceptions of privilege and brought about the awareness of community-based corporate social responsibility projects that go beyond monetary commitments and into a long-term, transformational and positive effect to the communities that need it most.