biz events asia june-july 2016
DESCRIPTION
The Luxury EditionTRANSCRIPT
Untitled-3 1 2/6/16 9:18 pm
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Biz Event Asia-en-NV.pdf 1 5/11/16 3:33 PM
2APR 2016v
MANAGING & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR | pubLIshER El Kwang [email protected]
DIRECTOR Geoff [email protected]
AssOCIATE EDITOR Gina sin [email protected]
GuEsT EDITORsRichard [email protected]
Fay-Linn [email protected]
CONTRIbuTING EDITORJennifer salsbury [email protected]
DEsIGN AND pRODuCTION [email protected]
OFFICE MANAGERRev [email protected]
EDITORIAL & DEsIGN COORDINATORChua Yi [email protected]
WRITEROng [email protected]
CONTRIbuTOR• Lawrence Kusz
ChINEsE CONsuLTANT Kh Tok
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: [email protected] Website: bizeventsasia.com
GINA SIN AssOCIATE EDITOR
EL KWANG MANAGING & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR | [email protected]
FAY-LINN YEOHGuEsT EDITOR
2JUNE-JULY 2016
RIcHARd BAKERGuEsT EDITOR
3APR 2016
pièce de résistance
Our first luxury issue published in 2015 explored the various understandings of luxury: from the luxury of culture in Japan and the luxury of time in siem Reap to more abstract concepts such as the luxury of talent, knowledge and even health. The encouraging responses to that issue was humbling for us as it set a new benchmark for biz Events Asia to find ways to entice readers to think further and broader in order to create meaningful meeting agendas and incentive itineraries.
To explore more inspiring angles for this year’s duo-month edition, we enlisted the help of guest editor Richard baker of scope Identity. his experience in hotel refurbishments and styling coupled with his passion for design as informed by various architecture disciplines, in particular, the bauhaus movement, gives us rich insights on timeless luxury.
Guest Editor Fay-Linn Yeoh of starwood hotels and Resorts shares her expertise in brand management. Our collaboration efforts also gave biz Events Asia the opportunity to be the first trade magazine to experience a stay at the highly anticipated st. Regis Kuala Lumpur with a special site inspection personally conducted by the hotel owner, Carmen Chua, who is also the CEO of One IFC sdn bhd. Time spent with Carmen Chua showed us what sheer passion and true determination looked like as she recounted
the eight years it took since her 20s to make the vision of her hotel come true. At her hotel we experienced the unmistakable sensation of true luxury that transcends cultures while promoting the co-existence of multi-generation. The benefits of cultural immersions in Asia steeped in the traditions of hospitality and graciousness enhance the appeal of modern luxury.
paying homage to luxury’s legacy, we visited paris and explored incentive event venues based on the theme “19th century”, an era when paris was renowned for promoting luxury retail and lifestyle as well as the completion of the iconic Eiffel Tower in 1889. In the mix, we also feature destinations like Vietnam, Indonesia and even the Antarctica.
Luxury cannot be measured by affordability or social status alone. heartfelt luxury service can only be expertly delivered via the refined art of vision, talent and most importantly, steadfast discipline. ultimately, luxury is a state of mind. born in 1880, helen Keller, the first deaf-blind American person to earn a bachelor of Arts Degree famously said, “the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.”
biz Events Asia dedicates this edition to Richard's mother, Rochelle (Rachel) baker.
We hope you find your very own luxury moments whilst enjoying this edition.
sALEs & MARKETING sINGApORE OFFICE Michelle Lim [email protected]
Charline Wong [email protected]
Michelle [email protected]
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA REpREsENTATIVEs ChINA: Mary Yao Email: [email protected] Tel: +86 10 6551 5663 ext 8008
DubAI: Rahul sequeiraEmail: [email protected]: +971 56 693 1213 sOuTh KOREA: Alexander paik Email: [email protected] 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. 199002858Dpps 1785/04/2013 (022963)MCI (p) 125/01/2016
JUNE-JULY 2016
biz Events Asia is the official media partner and member of:
#
ThAILAND OFFICEThe Amiris Co., Ltd Email: [email protected]: +66 81 822 3286
3JUNE-JULY 2016
Our cover image features Le salon de musique from Jacquemart-André museum.
Read about paris as a luxury incentive destination from page 20.
photo Credits: Jacquemart-André museum | sofiacome
4JUNE-JULY 2016
COVER STORYParis charms as a luxury travel destination
20
SINGAPORESingapore MICE Forum
Biz Events Asia is the official Strategic Media Partner of SMF 2016
Singapore | July 28-29, 2016
MAlAySIASustainable Development Conference
Kuching, Malaysia | July 2016
CHINAAsia Outdoor Tradeshow
Nanjing, China | June 2016
JAPAN3D & Virtual Reality ExpoTokyo, Japan | June 2016
Editorial advisory board mEmbErs Janet Tan-Collis
President | SACEOS CEO | East West
Planners
Selina ChavryGlobal Managing Director
Pacific World
Damion BreustHead of Corporate
Relations Asia Pacific Barclays
Daniel ChuaManaging Director
AONIA MICE
Andrew Chan
CEO | ACI HR Solutions
HONG kONGMICE Travel Expo
Wan Chai, Hong Kong | June 2016
5JUNE-JULY 2016
ISSUEJUne-JUly 16
AUStrAlIAGold Coast Midyear Caravan and
Camping ExpoGold Coast, Australia | July 2016
54 #DelveInto IndonesiaHow the islands are shaping up its
luxury landscape
62 #DelveInto Vietnam Discover the tranquility of Phu Quoc
66 #KnowledgeWhat modern luxury travel and
hospitality mean
68 #DiningMattersEpicurean Journeys and the
importance of food styling
72 #WiredUpWhy data management matters
6 #SoundBites
10 #TakingTheLead
12 #FreshIdeas
28 #TheLuxuryEditionWhat defines luxury?
46 #Associations
50 #DelveInto AntarcticaJourney into the picture-perfect
destination of Antarctica
SoUth KorEA Global Hospitality Tourism Marketing & Management ConferenceSeoul, South Korea | July 2016
Deanna VargaAssistant Director
Commercial & Visitor Services
Australian national Maritime
Museum
Sumate SudasnaPresident | Thailand Incentive &
Convention Association (TICA)
MD | CDM Thailand
ho Yoke PingGeneral Manager
Business events
Malaysia Convention
& exhibition Bureau
(MyCeB)
Max JantasuwanGroup Managing
Director
events Travel Asia
Daniel AswinCo-founder
Absolutions
Neeta lachmandasexecutive Director
The Institute of Service excellence,
Singapore Management University
thAIlANDAsian Finance Association MeetingBangkok, Thailand | June 2016
Don’t miss our special supplement from the
Seoul Tourism Organization
42
6JUNE-JULY 2016
NEw zEalaNdWellington will become the home of a NZD51 million (USD34.1 million) Sofitel hotel in New Zealand this July, joining sister
hotels Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour and Sofitel Queenstown Hotels & Spa as the third luxury Sofitel property in the country. Nestled between Wellington’s iconic landmarks “The Beehive” and the Botanical Gardens, the 129-room Sofitel
Wellington will offer three meeting rooms totalling 164 sq m of space.
GlobalInterContinental Hotels & Resorts has sought the expertise of Fortune 500 Futurist, Faith Popcorn, and world-renowned luxury hotels interior designer, Tara Bernerd, as part of the brand’s 70th year of ongoing commitment to remain at the forefront of luxury travel. With Popcorn’s documented 95 percent accuracy rate working with leading Fortune 500 companies in predicting consumer trends, she believes that Virtual Reality (VR) escapism and immersive brand experiences will shape service and guest experiences in the future. As space itself becomes the ultimate luxury by 2086, VR will evolve interior design so that it can be tailored by guests, and luxury travel will offer access to never-before-explored locations and immersive experiences. This is where Bernerd’s expertise in developing the brand’s new design philosophy will come into play.
#
KENyaLuxury safari camp and lodge operator Elewana has opened a new luxury tented camp on the site of the former Loisaba Lodge, heralding a conservation landmark to preserve on of Kenya’s most important elephant corridors. Located on a 600ft (55.7 sq m) escarpment, every room in Loisaba Tented Camp enjoys views stretching across the Laikipia Plains to Mount Kenya. The new Loisaba Conservancy is the result of substantial support by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the consequential transition in the ownership of the 56,000-acre wildlife conservancy and wilderness to the Loisaba Community Trust. TNC’s move to help secure the land ensures that the conservancy delivers vital benefits and support for neighbouring communities, the wildlife, and all Kenyans for the foreseeable future.
6JUNE-JULY 2016
8JUNE-JULY 2016
australiaEvents by Luxperience has launched a new meetings area, known as The MICE Marketplace to enhance the activities on the 2016 exhibition floor. This follows the successful introduction of Events by Luxperience in 2015, which appealed especially to the business events sector. The new concept will offer more flexible exhibiting options to meetings and event suppliers and a more relaxed and strategic appointment programme, which offers potential meetings and event exhibitors with the opportunity to connect with leading bespoke event designers from international and domestic markets of the region.
GlobalMCI Group has revealed a 24.4 percent record increase in gross margin in its 2015 Annual Report. The global events management company achieved gross margins of GBP112 million (USD162 million), up from GBP95 million in 2014, following a significant investment in its North American operations. This includes a merger with Coulter Companies to form MCI USA, and the launch of Black Flower Agency, a division focused on luxury brands. The group also extended its worldwide reach with seven new office openings and further acquisitions in Toronto, Istanbul, Macau, Washington, New York, Rio and Sao Paulo. In 2015, MCI Group conducted 21 hybrid events, 5,100 delivered projects in 81 countries, and made new partnerships with Expedia, Emirates and Higher Logic.
5The number of new boutique independent hotels Small Luxury Hotels of the World has welcome to the collection. This includes Milaidhoo Island in Baa Atoll, Maldives; Naman Retreat in Da Nang City, Vietnam; Mahana Villa in Upper Moutere, New Zealand; Althoff Hotel Villa Belrose in St. Tropez, France; and Elite Spring Villas in Anxi, China.
taiwaNVivian Lin has returned to W Taipei as its Hotel Manager. As the first female Hotel Manager of W Hotels in Taiwan, Lin is responsible for the hotel’s strategy and operations, and reports directly to General Manager, Cary Gray. Lin first joined Starwood Hotels Group as Director of Banquet at W Taipei in June 2010 before being promoted to Director of Food and Beverage at Le Royal Meridien Shanghai. Lin possess a 20-year hotel management experience, in particular, in the food and beverage arena.
8JUNE-JULY 2016
NUMBERS
MalaysiaIn conjunction with World Earth Day 2016, 53 team members from the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre recently undertook tree planting and animal care activities under the guidance of Zoo Negara (National Zoo) gardeners and animal handlers. Organised as part of the Centre’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, team members added 300 plants to the Zoo’s grounds and spent the day with seven different species, including tigers, lions, wallabies and more activities include, cleaning the enclosures, preparing the food and feeding the animals. As part of other ongoing sustainability and conservation efforts, the Centre also collaborates with the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau to promote “Let’s Meet & Green” tree-planting programme to offset carbon emissions.
10JUNE-JULY 2016
#
AustriAThe Vienna Convention Bureau at the Vienna Tourist Board is officially Europe’s most highly qualified convention bureau. A total of eight employees have now completed the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) training – at present no other European congress bureau has achieved this. The CMP title can only be used by congress experts who have completed a rigorous training programme and subsequently demonstrated their expertise in a demanding final examination. The Certified Meeting Professional programme is run by the Convention Industry Council (CIC), an association of 33 organisations worldwide who are committed to exchanging information and developing the highest professional quality standards for the international meetings industry.
AustrAliAThe Northern Territory Convention Bureau partnered with Singapore Airline’s regional full service airline, SilkAir, for a three-night familiarisation visit to Darwin as part of a joint initiative to showcase an increase in flight frequency between Darwin and Singapore. From May 30, 2016, services operate five times a week. A group of business event planners from Singapore were introduced a range of accommodation and meeting venues, including shopping options at luxury boutiques of prestigious pearl company, Paspaley, a taste of the multicultural cuisine at Parap Markets, a Segway ride through the Botanic Gardens of Darwin’s lush greenery and an evening cruise with Sea Darwin. Other highlights include a helicopter ride with Nautilus Aviation and indigenous traditional basket weaving and spear throwing with Pudakul Aboriginal Cultural Tours.
MAlAysiAAt the recent IMEX trade show in Frankfurt, Malaysia presented renewed offerings to the incentive travel, meetings and events industry. The country is set to introduce 36 new hotels by December 2016. Venues that have already opened its doors include The St. Regis Langkawi, which complements the Langkawi International Convention Centre that opened in 2015. Other properties include Double Tree Resort by Hilton Penang with five meeting rooms and 317 rooms; Le Meridien Putrajaya in July 2016 offering 11 meeting rooms and 350 rooms; an expansion of Setia City Convention Centre that is slated to complete this year with an additional 6,000 sq m of exhibition space; and the highly anticipated Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre located in KL Metropolis. The 75.5 acre KL Metropolis is a master plan development that includes multiple hotel properties, retail, residential and office towers set for completion by late 2017.
11JUNE-JULY 2016
CHiNABeijing hosted the first World Conference on Tourism for Development on May 19, 2016, at the Great Hall of the People. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivered a speech at the ceremony, noting that while the tourism industry is a driving force to cultivate new economic opportunities, alleviate poverty and construct a beautiful China, it is also a bridge for friendly exchanges with the outside world. More than 1,000 attended the ceremony, including leaders from more than 100 countries and international organisations, tourism board officials, and travel industry representatives. Li Jinzao, Chairman of China National Tourism Administration, also attended the event and announced that in the coming five years, China will launch a series of international cooperation projects on tourism, including the development and protection of tourism resources, consulting services for tourism planning and training of Chinese-speaking tour guides and management staff.
FROM THE BUREAUX
iNdiAMarking its fifth year, the Hyderabad Convention Visitors Bureau (HCVB) at IMEX Frankfurt announced an ongoing change in its bidding procedure by actively involving the committed and supportive Government of Telangana. Currently, the bureau with its active 18 members, has many bids in the pipeline which will bring more value adds to the city of Hyderabad, should they win the congresses.
Since HCVB has taken over the presidency at the Global Science and Convention Alliance (GSCA), it aims to foster a common dialogue for further
siNGAPOrEOrganised by the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers (SACEOS) for the sixth year, the Singapore MICE Forum (SMF) will take place on July 28-29, 2016 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore. The <RE:Imagine> MICE theme for SMF this year challenges event professionals to embrace innovation and break out from traditional ways of doing events. The forum will also help attendees to enhance operational skills and deliver on unconventional ideas that work.
More than 400 local, regional and international MICE and Events professionals are expected to attend this year’s Singapore MICE Forum. The two-day event will include a day of business matching at the Asia Meeting and Incentive Travel Exchange (AMITE) – an effective meet-up between supplier and buyer in the industry which has proven to maximise ROI by meeting international high-performing buyers and strengthening supplier-buyer relationships.
intelligence sharing among various strategies. The GSCA fraternity has grown to seven with the induction of Prague, Oslo and Philadelphia, in the last one year. Starting with initial steps, HCVB has changed the business events landscape of Hyderabad over the course of five years. It has won and delivered 17 major international meetings and conventions with limited resources and a small staff. Each victory that has been harnessed by the bureau has helped the city of Hyderabad survey its expanse in becoming the apex of business events, leading the city of Hyderabad to become the convention capital of India.
12JUNE-JULY 2016
#
Cave PartyLocated in the south of Japan, the Valley of Gangala is a mystical underground forest with the feel of a Lord of the Rings movie set. Event planners can host a cave party creating a mystical experience surrounded by 100,000-year-old limestone. Gangala is also the site of an ongoing excavation where archeologists have found what they believe are the remains of Japan’s oldest Homo sapiens. The cave has a maximum capacity of 100 people, and guided cave exploration tours can be arranged prior to the event.
Lotus Leaf PaintingHimapan Singapore places participants outside of their comfort zone to evoke their potential in expressing creativity through lotus leaf painting. Individuals will be able to learn and move at their own pace and get to express their personality.
Painting on lotus leaves offers an extraordinary contact with one of the most iconic symbols of Asia. While classical painting usually requires people to possess some artistic basics, lotus leaf painting only requires techniques that will be shared by the workshop leader. Each participant can then focus on this special material and play with the colours.
This activity, ideal for groups of up to 10, is great for building confidence in expressing, as well as an opportunity for some to teach and share advice. Leaders can express their strengths while at the same time appreciate and respect the individual’s achievement. If a group decide to work on triptyque, then they will need to coordinate their efforts. The overall session will require alignments on the final objective and teamwork to achieve it.
Venues change from time to time. Planners looking to organise this activity may use their own venue, or simply head to one of the rented locations by the company.
KLCC_Innocentric_BizEventsAsia_290416_ol.ai 1 4/28/16 10:49 AM
14JUNE-JULY 2016
#
Pacific World expands into AustriaThe global destination and event
management company has
expanded their European operations
into Austria, one of the top 12
countries globally for meetings and
conferences according to the ICCA
2015 ranking.
ITB Asia’s inaugural dedicated MICE DayITB Asia 2016 will showcase
its strongest MICE line-
up to-date with a full day
conference programme
dedicated to the growing
sector on the second day of
the trade show.
Dusit goes ArabicHospitality Group Dusit International’s
booking engine on its propriety
website has gone live in Arabic.
Arabic speaking guests looking to
stay at Dusit Thani Dubai, Dusit Thani
LakeView Cairo, Dusit Thani Maldives
or Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi can now do
so in their native language. Catering to
this mobile-first region, the service is
also available on the mobile version.
15JUNE-JULY 2016
Trend obsessionBiz Events Asia worked with Zadro on a survey that has so far revealed the region’s obsession with industry trends. Contribute your part by completing the survey. Respondents will each receive a free copy of the report.Contact [email protected]
What you missed online onwww.bizeventsasia.com
BREATHE CLEANER AIR
Located downtown Shanghai with every modern amenity, The Westin Bund Center Shanghai is your ideal venue for biz events. The whole hotel is receiving improved air quality through air conditioning filtration that reduces 75% of PM2.5 particles and allergens from the outside air - at no additional charge!
Meet and stay at The Westin Bund Center Shanghai and be assured of cleaner air and a restful night sleep with our famous Heavenly Bed!- 18 function rooms of various sizes including a 714 m² grand ballroom- Personalized meeting butler service- Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel - Superfood coffee break options – powerfully paired, antioxidant rich whole
foods - LED screen and advanced audio-visual equipment
For more information, please contact 86.21.63351888 or email:[email protected]
©2016 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. For full terms & conditions, visit westin.com/shanghai
Singapore Tourism Board woos KoreaSTB has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with internet company, Kakao, to introduce Traveline Singapore, a dedicated mobile platform that promises to bring more relevant and compelling travel content on Singapore to Koreans by the last quarter of this year.
SHMSH1601382CPC_BizEventsAsia_210x297_E5_A_HR.pdf 1 22/4/16 6:12 pm SHMSH1601382CPC_BizEventsAsia_210x297_E5_C_HR.pdf 3 22/4/16 6:12 pm
SHMSH1601382CPC_BizEventsAsia_210x297_E5_A_HR.pdf 1 22/4/16 6:12 pm SHMSH1601382CPC_BizEventsAsia_210x297_E5_B_HR.pdf 2 22/4/16 6:12 pm
SHMSH1601382CPC_BizEventsAsia_210x297_E5_A_HR.pdf 1 22/4/16 6:12 pm
18JUNE-JULY 2016
Extraordinary EvEnts in Macaosheraton Grand Macao Hotel and the st. regis Macao deliver memorable business events through convenience and connectivity.
Boosted by financial support from the Macao government and liberal visa requirements, Macao’s role as a key business events hub in Asia has been attracting major brands and corporations from around the world to stage
their incredible moments in.
Macao is home to two of the city’s most well-equipped hotels to accommodate large groups and host events that last – sheraton Grand Macao Hotel and the st. regis Macao. Situated along the vibrant Cotai Strip, both hotels offer direct access to over 650 international shopping retail outlets and over 100 international dining, entertainment and recreation options, along with meeting venues that connect seamlessly on the 5th floor. Moreover, Macao International Airport is just a 10-minute drive away, while UNESCO World Heritage sites steeped in more than 450 years of history can be reached in under 15 minutes by car from both hotels.
Macao’s largest hospitality and event facilityThe 4,001-room sheraton Grand Macao offers over 19,000 sq m of meeting space, which comprises of the pillar-less 4,891-sq m Kashgar Grand Ballroom, six junior ballrooms plus three junior ballrooms at Sands Cotai Central. Dine at one of the hotel’s
advErtorial
The St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central
Book your next event at Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel or The St. Regis Macao to enjoy up to five special privileges:• 5%offmasterbill• Complimentaryroomsandroomupgrades• 20%offaudioandvisualequipment• Complimentary30-minute“MeetandGreet”entertainmentperformance• Buyonegetonefreeferryticket
Booking Period: ContractonorbeforeDecember31,2016,forstaysbeforeDecember22,2017.
Email the sales team at [email protected], or call +853 8113 0700
liMitEd tiME offEr – “MEEtinGs witH MorE”
three signature restaurants and bars – Xin, Bene and Feast, which serve an array of cuisine including Asian, Italian and international fare, or rejuvenate at Shine Spa for Sheraton and Sheraton Fitness.
Bespoke events beyond expectationthe st. regis Macao features a myriad of refined venues, includingtheregalAstorBallroomthataccommodates570guests and five smaller meeting rooms with natural daylight through floor-to-ceiling windows, two stately boardrooms, and an exclusive VIP meeting room.
A seductive culinary experience awaits the most discerning of palates at The Manor, which offers five separately themed spaces, and the St. Regis Bar, its intimate setting making it a perfect venue for social gatherings.
Almost all 400 of The St. Regis Macao’s exquisitely styled and lavishly appointed guest rooms command rare vistas of the vibrantviewofCotaiStrip.Guestroomsrangefrom53sqmto477sqmtoprovidealuxuriousrespitefromthehecticurbanspace. Both hotels offer dynamic accommodation choices for groups of all sizes and levels.
Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, Cotai Central
www.itcma.comBuyer Hosting (MICE, Luxury Travel & Association Professionals) | Media Affiliate Programme | Event Highlights | Video Interviews | More!!
Host CountryOrganised By Supported By Offi cial Airline Offi cial Venue
Benefits To Buyers
Added Benefits For Hosted Buyers
Source from the largest collection of Asia-Pacific MICE & Corporate Travel suppliers
Up to 100% Pre-Scheduled Appointments with priority on your preferences
Proven business platform with 43% of buyers confirming procurement on-site in 2015
Complimentary City Tours and Post-Show Tours at Special Rates*
Complete access to Education & Networking opportunities
Reimbursable return economy class air fare to/from Bangkok*
Complimentary hotel accommodation during the event*
Association Day
Programme Available!
A concentrated and dedicated event like this brings together industry leaders, top venues and destinations all under one roof. The variety and quality of the educational sessions complemented by the amazing exhibition made for a very successful event.
Quest International User Groups APAC, Australia Association Buyer | Daniel Strassberg, Executive Director APAC & EMEA
I’ve been sourcing suppliers and venues through IT&CMA since 2000.
Travelcorp, India Buyer | Shekhar Niyogi, Director
IT&CMA helped me to achieve my business objectives.
Sigma Incentive, Portugal Buyer | Ana Claudia Barbosa de Almeida Alexandre, Manager
THE LEADING INTERNATIONALMICE EVENT IN ASIAThat’s Worth Your Time
27 – 29 September 2016Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld
APPLY AS A HOSTED BUYER!Use This URL To Receive Priority Hosting Consideration*
www.itcma.com/hostme/bizeventFor Association Buyer registration, email [email protected] and quote
<Biz Events Asia>*Registration is not a confirmation of hosting. All applications are subjected to validation, terms and conditions.
20JUNE-JULY 2016
#CoverStory
RomanCing LuxuRy
WoRdS: El Kwang
ThE ciTy of lovE, lighTs and romancE doEs noT rEsT on iTs laurEls and conTinuEs To Turn on iTs charms builT on lEgacy, hEriTagE and luxury.
river seine1
21JUNE-JULY 2016
The adrenalin rush of falling in love is irresistible. when it comes to romance and luxury, destination Paris is on the tip of event planners’ tongues. biz Events asia visited Paris after imEx frankfurt to see why Paris continues to captivate visitors despite the november 2015 attack.
amaLgamation of oLd and neWParis, supported by 15 convention and exhibition centres and a collection of over 600,000 sq m of exhibition spaces, hosts more than 300 events a day. according to corine bernadou, head of business development, asia, north america, united Kingdom of the Paris convention and visitors bureau, “singapore is increasingly becoming an important market for us. we had a record number of singapore-based incentive and event agencies visiting the Paris booth at imEx frankfurt in april 2016. asians want to see Paris’ heritage, innovation and modernity when they come to Europe for the very first time.”
according to the bureau, in 2015, the association congresses market brought 1,004 events worth about Eur1.2 billion (usd1.35 billion) and attracted some 762,000 participants to Paris. over 136 events had more than 1,000 delegates. medical science represents 32 percent of all congresses held in Paris. some key congresses to be held this year include the 5,000-delegate world cancer congress, the world leader summit uicc, and the European association of osseointegration congress in september 2016 that is expected to attract 4,000 participants.
renowned for its culture, traditions and iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower. Paris never delivers a dull moment for incentive programmes. according to the Paris convention and visitors bureau, new developments include extending the 18th and 19th arrondissements towards saint-denis and aubervilliers, new buildings like the Palais de Justice in the redeveloped batignolles district and the opening of the newly transformed monnaie de Paris, the national mint created in year 864.
“asians want to see Paris’ heritage, innovation and modernity when they come to Europe for the very first time.”
Corine Bernadouhead of business development,
asia, north america, united Kingdom of Paris convention and visitors bureau
with 25,000 artists living and working in Paris, a stroll or even a charity run along the 777-kilometre river seine past museums and galleries may inspire delegates before a brainstorming session. Join the Parisians in the annual Paris Plages festival where the riverside is transformed into sunny, seine-side fun fair between georges-Pompidou expressway (4th) and the la villette canal basin (19th) for four weeks from July 20 each year; delivering a luxurious summer picnic experience.
for an unforgettable experience, take advantage of the array of museums that are dexterous in hosting business events especially those with a 19th century influence.
Shopping in the CapitaL pit will not be shopping if it is not done along champs Elysees. whether luxury goods are your thing, the shopping experience gives better understanding about the discipline, creativity and hard work of the respective fashion houses. from louis vuitton to saint laurent and chanel, each expresses their very own interpretation on brand and design integrity that ardent fans expect.
in Paris, the strength of its respect for the arts, culture and balanced lifestyle simply injects a breath of constant in an unpredictable world we live it. That is, to enjoy life and simply live in the moment. This is probably one of the alluring factors attracting large incentive groups to the city. according to yago fernandez, Pacific world’s head of sales, EmEa & laTam, “Paris is a must-see destination for incentive trips. The city is worldwide connected and combines the charm of prestigious venues with the most fashionable places and a unique gastronomy. The Pacific world team in Paris recently organised an event for 900 guests in the carrousel du louvre, adjacent to the iconic museum. The venue easily propelled
guests into the Parisian ambience”.
Palais de Justicemusée du louvre2 3
Photo Credits:1: © Paris Tourist office – Photographer: marc bertrand2,3 : © Paris Tourist office – Photographer: daniel Thierry4: © Paris Tourist office – Photographer: stéphanie rivoal
4
22JUNE-JULY 2016
“Paris is a must-see destination for incentive trips. The city is worldwide connected and combines the charm of
prestigious venues with the most fashionable places and a unique gastronomy”
Yago Fernandezhead of sales EmEa & laTam, Pacific world
muSée du paRfum over in the 9th arrondissement and one kilometre from Paris’ key landmark garden, Jardin des Tuileries is the perfume museum by french Perfumer, fragonard. immerse incentive guests in a late 19th century perfume factory environment to learn the secret to the art of perfume creation during a welcome cocktail reception for up to 200 guests.
muSée JaCquemaRt-andRéapproximately one kilometre north of the heart of champs Elysees is the renowned Jacquemart-andré museum filled with some of Paris’ finest private art collections. Previously a private home built between 1869 and 1876, the museum offers several beautifully appointed event spaces with access to different areas of the museum’s ground floor such as the Private apartments and the winter garden. Exclusive event buyout of the museum for a cocktail party for up to 500 guests is also possible.
The grand Salon – with strong craftsmanship and art display of the 18th century, this room brings guests back in time when the original owners of the house, Édouard andré and wife, nelie Jacquemart, entertained their guests back in the 19th century. The opulent gold leaf “capitals” mounted above beaded and decorative columns warmly encase the salon, while exuberating pure indulgence and luxury.
sq m cocktail-style banquet-style114 150 90
The Music room - located adjacent to The grand salon is decorated in the style of the french second Empire (napoleon bonaparte period) with its red walls and dark wood furniture. The pillarless rectangular room has floor-to-ceiling windows allowing natural light in. for evening events, serenade guests with classical music from the upper gallery under the high ceiling featuring Pierre-victor galland’s artwork apollo, protector of the arts.
sq m cocktail-style banquet-style103 150 90
Photo Credits:1,2: © museé du Parfum 3 : © museé Jacquemart-andré – Photographer: sofiacome4: © museé Jacquemart-andré – Photographer: maxime champion
1 2
3
4
23JUNE-JULY 2016
a fouR-night paRiS “haute CoutuRe” inCentive pRogRamme deSigned by paCifiC WoRLd
day one: a LuxuRiouS SenSe of aRRivaL
hôteL pLaza athénée– the haute CoutuRe addReSS in paRiSwhen it comes to luxury in the most romantic and stylish city in the world, look no further than the legendary hôtel Plaza athénée. situated in the “golden Triangle” of fashion on the renowned avenue montaigne, this dorchester collection hotel is in the ideal location for the finest shopping that Paris has to offer, and has some of the most magnificent views of the Eiffel Tower. Established in 1913, the hotel frequently welcomes royalty, celebrities, and politicians through its doors, and has distinguished itself as one of the best hotels in Paris.
fully refurbished and expanded in 2014, the hotel offers 154 rooms and 54 suites, all of which are beautifully designed
with french décor. The guest rooms are synonymous with Parisian glamour, exhibiting exquisite louis xvi-inspired décor and captivating views. Each room features bespoke linen, italian marble bathrooms, antique furnishings, elegant sitting areas and a pillow menu for uncompromising comfort. The hotel also features a bar with famed mixologist Thierry hernandez and five restaurants all overseen by multiple michelin-starred chef, alain ducasse, including a three-star gastronomic restaurant, and Europe’s only dior institute.
bienvenue SWing paRty at the hoteLTo kick off the festivities in Paris, the hotel’s listed art deco brasserie, le relais Plaza, offers a palatial and sophisticated place for guests to wine, dine and be entertained. after a recent makeover by bruno moinard, the relais Plaza has changed its decor without changing its character. it still has its elegant atmosphere, art deco styling
and cadenced, respectful service with the right touch of cordiality. it is just what a Parisian venue should be! Kick-start the evening with a photo session outside the venue in front of a parked vintage deluxe car and hostesses dressed in charleston dresses. Then reminisce Paris’ cool underground jazz clubs hosted by the restaurant director since 1987, werner Kuchler, who organises a swing’in evening with great food, relaxed atmosphere, and great music. it is a welcome for which werner and his staff are famous for.
day tWo: “Rendez-vouS” With paRiS
paRiS aboaRd vintage 2Cv CaRSdiscover the city of light in an unusual and unexpected way aboard vintage 2cv cars. The 2cv is a french 2-horsepower convertible car dating back to the 1950s. The brightly coloured cars all lined up in an unusual procession often attract such attention by onlookers that guests
Eiffel Tower Jardin du luxembourg
Paris Plages
Photo Credits:1: © Paris Tourist office – Photographer: daniel Thierry2: © Paris Tourist office – Photographer: sarah sergent3: © Paris Tourist office – Photographer: marc bertrand
1 2
3
24JUNE-JULY 2016
end up getting photographed more than
the monuments! Each car is chauffeured
by an English-speaking guide who will
delightfully show main highlights of Paris,
including: champs Elysees avenue and
the arc of Triumph, the Trocadero, Eiffel
Tower, the invalides, alexander iii bridge,
orsay museum, louvre museum and
pyramid, and more. along the way, the
entourage will stop at a local market to
taste some delicious Parisian specialties:
fresh baguette, pastry eclairs, cheese; a
great way to meet and mingle with locals
and learn a few french words!
Seine RiveR 360 degRee expeRienCe on a deLuxe yaChtThe cars line up on the quays of the
seine river to await a majestic yacht,
reminiscent of the french riveria’s
golden age. a bow that stands proud,
brass that gleams, polished mahogany,
an authentic helm, upholstered
interiors, sumptuous upper decks… the
“Excellence” is the yachts de Paris’ gem.
an aperitif is savoured on the outside
upper deck whilst gliding under the city’s
22 bridges. on the main deck, a delicious
meal is served, signed by top caterer,
lenotre, while a french trio plays a lively
tune.
gaStRonomiC dinneR in “the toWeR”cross over to the city’s left bank to
the famed Tour d’argent restaurant – a
pantheon of french gastronomy. from
its sixth floor “tower”, the restaurant
overlooks all of Paris: the sky, the
rooftops, the seine river and the majestic
notre dame cathedral. Evolved from
an elegant inn in 1582 to a restaurant
in 1780, this true institution has hosted
kings, emperors, presidents and
celebrities. challans duck is the house
specialty, while the wine list boasts some
15,000 wines on a 400-page list. before
settling for dinner in a private room
overlooking the notre dame cathedral,
guests are invited for a privileged access
into the cellar - one of the richest and
most sophisticated wine cellars in all
of france which stores some 350,000
bottles and overseen by star sommelier,
david ridgeway, since 1981.
day thRee: the uLtimate Champagne expeRienCe
take fLightguests are surprised in the morning with
an excursion to the french countryside,
viP-style. a 45-minute helicopter ride
lifts guests to the heart of the famous
champagne region located just 160
kilometres east of Paris. after flying over
the stretches of vineyards and quaint
villages listed as unEsco world heritage
site, the guests arrive at the small
town of Epernay. Each year, millions of
bottles of bubbly mature in hundreds of
kilometres of chalk tunnels carved under
the roads of Epernay. on the elegant
main avenue of countless eye-catching
champagne houses, guests arrive at the
moët & chandon house. with a bottle
popping open every second in the world,
moët is indisputably the largest and most
prestigious estate in all of champagne,
made up almost exclusively of Premiers
crus and grands crus. 32 million bottles
were sold in 2011 alone. founded in 1743,
the moët house has elaborated the
world’s favourite champagnes.
coffee and pastries welcome guests in
moet’s 19th c. orangerie, overlooking
the perspective of the french gardens
designed in 1805. guests are then invited
to delve into the 28-kilometre labyrinth
of cellars located 30 metres under the
chalky soil. The exploration ends in the
biggest cellar, napoleon, for a prestigious
and intimate lunch. candlelit tables under
the stony vaults, lively gypsy musicians
strolling around tables create a special
atmosphere unlike anywhere else.
RetuRn With the oRient expReSSguests will board a legendary icon of
travel, the orient Express, to return
to Paris. boarding directly at Epernay,
guests will wine and dine aboard the
opulent train during their return to Paris.
few will have a chance to experience this
service, and it is perhaps this sense of
exclusivity that best defines the luxury of
the orient Express. reopening for limited
exclusive events in 2016, The orient
Express dining car taps into the emotions
experienced by the pioneering passengers
on the maiden voyage to constantinople
in 1883. Then begins an immersive
experience of delicious indulgence
spanning over three hours. set off aboard
seine river
notre dame cathedral
arc of Triumph
Photo Credits:1,3: © Paris Tourist office – Photographer: marc bertrand
2: © Paris Tourist office – Photographer: daniel Thierry
1 2
3
25JUNE-JULY 2016
the famous “Train bleu” bar carriage (agatha christie fans delight) before moving on to the dining car, where an attentive wait staff will serve dinner. upon arrival at the Paris station, only a single appetite will remain unsatisfied: the desire to start the trip all over again.
day fouR: paRiS youR Way
give baCk With the Joie de vivRe expeRienCeThis csr-oriented activity is realised with Joie (or joy), an association committed to enhancing the health and well-being of children in need. Joie also promotes art education, art therapy, sensory development and creativity, since it is proven that joy and good laughter is an efficient way to fight against diseases or to feel stronger and deal with problems. art selling, events and concerts enable the charity to help 4,500 children in france every year.
discover Paris’ culture and help vulnerable children at the same time; share time and positive moments with some of the 4,500 children from Paris and its surroundings involved in the association’s programmes every year. Join children for a cooking class with a famed Parisian pastry chef, Pierre hermé (the “Picasso of pastry”) or the likes. within two hours, the cooking course enables beginners to cook and dress a menu with the must-know of french cuisine.
expeRienCe veRSaiLLeS Like a RoyaLty see the Palace of versailles as french
kings once did – during this intimate viP group tour that includes an once-in-a-lifetime private viewing of the palace’s royal Quarters. This exclusive tour gives priority entry to the versailles through a reserved door and provides unprecedented access to magnificent private rooms which are off-limits to the general public, allowing guests to see a side of the unEsco world-heritage-listed Palace of versailles that most never will. discover secret passages, private bedrooms and apartments, bathrooms and other hidden sites. The private apartments of kings, queens, mistresses and courtiers illustrate the life of the court and outstanding events in the history of france. This viP experience also includes entry to two rooms in the state apartments, the famous hall of mirrors, and the musical fountain shows in the gardens.
faShion foRWaRdfor those seeking to explore the fashionable side of Paris, the options are countless. like a private opening of bucherer at opera square, famed for its top-quality jewellery range and award-winning creations made in its own workshops. Their fabulous designs are made with loving care and attention to detail from the most precious materials and gemstones. Every single piece is a reflection of skills and craftsmanship. guests are welcomed at the 2,200 sq m boutique and offered a private tour, with explanations on bucherer’s rare savoir faire (know-how).
for a more clothes oriented activity, Pacific world can open the workshop of one of the most creative french
designers, agnes b. after a presentation of the designer by agnès’ son and some explanations of the clothes making process, guests will be able to admire the current collection with its simple and elegant cuts. Timeless pieces such as the 1979 “snap” cardigan or snap jackets are the best sellers and an agnès b signature. and if agnes is in town, she will of course personally welcome your guests! The activity continues with shopping guide in the streets of saint germain des Pres.
a faReWeLL event to RemembeR at Chateau vaux-Le-viComtea night to remember as the red carpet unfolds onto the prestigious vaux-le-vicomte estate, nearly 500 hectares outside Paris. Known for its theatrical majesty, it is the perfect backdrop for a gala dinner. horns of hunters resonate as guests walk up the stairs. The 17th c. chateau is the fruit of the bold vision of nicolas fouquet, superintendent of finances under young sun King, louis xiv. The broderie of parterres, ponds, fountains and statues, along with all the plants and buildings, are a unique achievement whose harmony and well-judged proportions charm from the very first glance. it is no surprise that Queen Elizabeth, upon visiting the chateau in 1948 as a princess at the time, exclaimed, “it is more beautiful than versailles!”
The evening begins with an aperitif on the outdoor stone terrace, overlooking the splendid gardens designed by le notre. courtesans and a harpist dressed in period costume entertain guests, taking pictures. horse-drawn carriages take some guests through the gardens, while others venture through the period rooms, underground kitchens, and even atop the dome.
The gala dinner is served in the salon d’honneur, which offers bay window views of the gardens and setting sun. as the sun sets, the 2,000 candles in the gardens and around the dinner room begin to flicker. between courses, a lyrical singer extravagantly dressed in red dress slips into the room to serenade guests with famous opera tunes, each of her passages acclaimed by applause. before dessert, guests are invited for a champagne break on the outdoor terrace. Then, by surprise, a firework explodes in the sky. The music builds as fireworks are set off, ending in a grand finale to the colours of the host company.
Photo Credits: © museé du Parfum
27JUNE-JULY 2016
AdvertoriAl • TCEB
Thailand has long been known for its variety and endless choices in terms of food, travel, culture and experience. Now, there are more choices when it comes to destinations for meetings and incentives.
Of course, big cities such as Bangkok have everything necessary for staging events, from state-of-the-art facilities to world-class accommodation and wonderful attractions to fine-dining restaurants. But these benefits can also be found in Thailand’s four other MICE cities – Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, and Khon Kaen - which are being promoted by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).
All five TCEB-designated MICE cities have the capability of hosting meetings and incentives large and small, thanks to modern infrastructure, a range of accommodation options and varied and interesting venues for team building. These cities also have excellent connection links and are well served by international airports.
Phuket is a popular destination for meetings and incentives as the island has amazing venues and years of expertise in event planning. The best beaches in the world are also waiting so delegates can relax after the event. Pattaya, a vibrant seaside town offers great meeting spaces, proximity to Bangkok, exciting attractions and world-class cuisine.
Thailand’s MICE Cities give more options to meetings and incentive events
Pattaya
The slower pace of Chiang Mai with its arts and culture scene makes it the perfect venue for more intimate events while its world-class hotels and conference halls make it popular for international meetings. Finally, Khon Kaen can give visitors the chance to explore a different side of Thailand, being a centre for trade and logistics and a gateway to China and the thriving ASEAN economy.
This rich variety of Thailand’s destination choices means that meetings and incentives are not only successful but also help make memories that delegates will treasure.
For more information, visitwww.businesseventsthailand.com
Bangkok
Khon Kaen
Phuket
Chiang Mai
27JUNE-JULY 2016
28JUNE-JULY 2016
THe LuxuryediTion
Biz evenTs asia uncovers Luxury from Legacy To modernisaTion
#TheLuxuryEdition
28JUNE-JULY 2016
Three Tier Pool, amankila
29JUNE-JULY 2016
TimeLess Luxury
THe journey of Luxury TraveL and LifesTyLe requires THe resPecT and
undersTanding of iTs Legacy Words: eL Kwang & ricHard BaKer
Luxury as a well-travelled attitude and its legacy
dates as far back as the roman times. whether
it is travel, events or labels, to experience luxury
well, one should respect the art of luxury and
understand the key messages and appreciate the
talent behind luxury.
modernisation, coupled with innovation and
technology, has transformed timeless luxury
into modern luxury and triggers off memories
of excellence in those with a keen eye for
fine designs. Powerful brands deliver that
association, attract loyalty and establish a
deeper respect for luxury legacy.
modern luxury according to james and Tamara
Lohan of renowned luxury travel experience
services, mr & mrs smith, is “not about formal,
stuffy and luxury environment of days gone by;
we look at the personality and character of the
interior design and how friendly the service
is. we want to find places that offer a unique
experience and a personal touch.” The Lohan’s
knowledge on modern luxury and trends are
featured in the #Knowledge section on page
66-67.
Brand & dEsign discipLinE Today, everyone understands the power of a
strong visual identity, a powerful brand or logo
asset of a company. some adopt clever taglines
and catch-phrases, or emotional appeals that
all too often become subsumed under some
other value systems. in today’s decentralised,
tweeting, on demand and instant gratification
culture, achieving visual coherence can be tough.
applications and processes are required in
true branding work (an e-newsletter has more
different requirements and opportunities than
a tangible brochure); people far outside any
marketing department have the tools to create
communication opportunities (and do); and
even if an organisation masters its own staff,
there are still communicative responses being
created outside departmental walls, 24/7, that
affect a brand. a classic example will be user-
driven feedback social media platforms where
consumers are given the green light to share
their feedback openly regardless of their level of
credibility.
There are many reasons to invest in brand
strategy from a business perspective. The
most basic forms of brand communication are
necessary for presenting your company in a
variety of situations from managing complaints
to event execution. it should be a priority from
the very beginning and if it is a premium luxury
brand, the intricate nature by definition should
be deeply rooted and connected to the very
core of its existence. The legacy and story of
each masterpiece needs to be continuously
re-enforced, so in spite of trends, fashion and
global economies changing and developing,
the word and very meaning of the term luxury
becomes harder to manage as it becomes
ingrained into our everyday lives. guest editor,
fay-Linn yeoh highlights the importance of
brand management in a competitive world on
page 38 of this article.
despite the trials and tribulations of the
business world, luxury can still capture one’s
attention through its emotional appeal and
enduring presence. a good art piece or a
good design will still stand out and withstand
critical scrutiny because it carries on years
of craftsmanship and attention to details; a
testament to the back breaking blood, sweat and
tears of collaboration between the apprentice
and the master. a good design captures the
perfect yet challenging relationship between the
past and the present. we bring you a real-life
experience when we interview the owner of the
newly opened st. regis Kuala Lumpur, carmen
chua on page 36 of this article.
29JUNE-JULY 2016
30JUNE-JULY 2016
#TheLuxuryEdition
30JUNE-JULY 2016
Guest Editor Richard Baker explains his principle on luxury design
A career as a hotel expert allows me to be responsible and accountable. We take
responsibility for our chosen careers and mine is no different. By affording myself early
on the opportunity to travel and to be immersed in cultural awareness, I exemplified
in the field of Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FF&E) and sourcing, by selecting the
world’s finest fabrics, silks and woven materials.
Through years of travel I have learnt how to respect heritage and the cultural integrity
originated from a deep and grounded level. To understand the processes and the
time-honoured traditions of application, the ability to create is to strive and to lead
in performance excellence, though always watched over by a careful eye. To me, this
careful eye is the quintessential element of what it means to have timeless luxury, and
I say luxury is indeed looking for me to fully interpret yet safeguard its deep-rooted
connection. Timeless luxury is “always watched over by a careful eye”.
Sometimes the difference between a good trip and an amazing one comes down to
one thing: the hotel. Nothing stirs up as much debate in the Scope Identity Office as
the places we are most passionate about and most likely to recommend to others. As
specialists in advising and consulting with hotel owners, our expertise has witnessed it
all. At the glimpse of an eye whilst inhaling my first breath I can sense the emotion and
the integrity of the space while comprehending and reading the relationship between
history and heritage – what belongs and what doesn’t. I have learnt that there are no
right and wrong answers. However, there are fundamental principles that must be
followed and executed to achieve unparalleled experiences.
My own discipline and relationship with design relates to the “less is more” Bauhaus
Movement from 1919-1933 and is inspired by the unity of form and function, and the very
idea that design is in service of the community; a belief in the perfection and efficiency
of rudimentary design with maximum spatial logic. Design for me is a confident
process: invest in what you adore, and be accountable for your own design principles,
but always watch over the process with a careful and masterful eye.
“Luxury to me is time. Time
to allow me to experience
places, time to take in a
destination, and time to spend
time with loved ones.”
Fay-linn yeohGuest Editor of Biz Events Asia and
Director, Brand Management Asia Pacific
St Regis, The Luxury Collection
Food & Beverage Marketing,
Starwood Hotels and Resorts
31JUNE-JULY 2016
The desire to have the freedom to “switch
off” is priceless. so much so, city dwellers
are “investing” in it, financially and
spiritually. Luxury to anna nash, director
of Public relations for aman resorts is
“intangible and a personal choice in finding
one’s escape, moment and peace.”
it is also the want to have a personal choice
that brought on the “bleisure” travel trend
where employees are extending their work
trips into personal days at a destination
for in-depth exploration and experience.
The introduction of popular website
airbnb encourages travellers to have local
experiences by staying and exploring in less
touristy neighbourhoods while staying in a
home away from home environment.
Bertrand saillets, general manager of
fcm Travel solutions singapore explained
to Biz events asia that the company
has relaunched Travel club due to the
increase in “bleisure” travellers. Travel
club is a membership-based service
where customers can create their holiday
of cHoice and care THe uLTimaTe Luxury in
LifesTyLe and TraveL is Having cHoices wiTHouT negLecTing duTy of care.Words: eL Kwang & gina sin
experiences with the assistance of fcm Travel
solutions’ passionate travel consultants. The club
promises fast responses (within 24 hours) and value
for money themed experiences like city breaks,
bleisure, beach escapes, active and wellness
holidays off the beaten track.
el Kwang of Biz events asia experienced airbnb
for the first time when visiting frankfurt and Paris.
although the cost of accommodation is one third of
hotels within the same vicinity, there are certainly
some factors that may not be appealing to time-poor
travellers especially for business travellers:
• coordination. more time needed to coordinate
with the hosts for logistics like picking up of
keys, apartment orientation. early or late flight
arrivals will be a challenge.
• immediate assistance. if one needs assistance,
it is much faster getting help when staying at
hotels.
• accessibility. some apartments do not come
with lifts. so, prepare to sweat it out if one is a
heavy traveller lugging it up an apartment on
level 5. getting a taxi may be a challenge if one
swimming Pool, amanpulo
Picnic grove, amanpulo
32JUNE-JULY 2016
32JUNE-JULY 2016
#TheLuxuryEdition
“Luxury is intangible
and a personal choice
in finding one’s escape,
moment and peace.”
anna nashdirector of Public relations
aman resorts
does not know how to book taxis
in a foreign language or use uber
services.
• sense of security. especially when
returning late and if one is not
familiar with the location.
• reliability. only get a real sense
of it on arrival unlike a hotel with
strong brand standards. some
travellers experienced last minute
cancellation by the host and the
whole booking and sourcing process
begins again. a tough challenge
during peak seasons of the
destinations.
of course, there are attractive conditions
staying with airbnb which include
affordability where meals can be
prepared in the apartment, living spaces
where group travellers gather and a real
sense of home away from home. for
example, the apartment Kwang rented
in frankfurt came with portable wi-fi
and mobile charging gadgets and a
nespresso machine, the latter fulfilling
the need of coffee drinkers. Loyalty
follows once holiday home rental brands
like onefinestay, Homeaway and airbnb
services have established a real sense of
trust with customers.
Those who prefer hotels could take the
advice of james and Tamara Lohan of
mr & mrs smith: “don’t pay for facilities
you won’t have time to use - especially if
you’re on a fleeting business trip.”
However, business travellers and
corporate travel management
companies are more concerned about
travellers’ safety as they have duty of
care obligations.
duTy of carEin corporate travel, the bigger the
company, the more complex the
business trips, hence the more
imperative it is to have a proper risk
mitigation system in place. staying
alert in the ever-changing landscape
of globalisation, political instability and
fear of terrorism in places previously
thought safe, is more important today
than ever before. a good risk mitigation
policy reduces the rate of work-related
accidents and absenteeism, increases
productivity and knowledge (prevention
is better than cure) resulting in a
healthier workforce and significant
cost savings.
a duty of care conference organised
by international sos – the world’s
leading medical and travel security
assistance company – at suntec
singapore convention & exhibition
centre attracted over 140 human
resource and risk management
executives for an exchange of
thoughts, trends and industry
practices.
duty of care refers to the moral
and legal obligations of employers
to act prudently to avoid the risk of
reasonable foreseeable injury or
exposures leading to ill health to
their employees working, posted on
international assignments or working
in remote areas of their home
country.
Hotel Providence Paris
duty of care conference
33JUNE-JULY 2016
33JUNE-JULY 2016
dr gan siok Lin, executive director,
wsH institute, at a panel discussion
advised that to properly implement a
risk mitigation structure or system, a
company needs to have a strong wish
culture. a strong management needs
to be supportive, lead by example, and
communicate simply and clearly the
policy to all its employees and partners.
with a proper understanding of the policy
implementation, employees must also
play their part in adhering to it.
according to the international
organization for standardization (iso),
over 6,300 people around the globe die
each year from work-related accidents
or diseases. occupational injuries and
diseases for both employers and the wider
economy can become a burden, with staff
absence, early retirements and insurance
premiums on the rise.
a new standard currently being developed
by iso will help organisations reduce
this burden by providing a framework
to improve employee safety, reduce
workplace risks and create better and
safer working conditions. Known as iso
45001 occupational health and safety
management systems – requirements,
this new standardisation is slated to
be published in october 2016. it will
also address many, if not all, legal
requirements in this area.
in our handsTo have the luxury of freedom of choice,
one has to be responsible for one’s own
welfare. in addition, it is crucial to be in
the right frame of mind when enjoying
this luxury. The attitude and mindset
for the enjoyment of downtime
determines its real value. one can be
in the most luxurious destination and
staying at the finest hotel. However, if
one chooses not to live in the moment,
one will not only miss out the finer
details, but may end up leaving the
break feeling less rested.
“don’t pay for facilities
you won’t have time
to use – especially if
you’re on a fleeting
business trip.”
james and Tamara Lohan at Ham yard Hotel London
The waterhouse at south Bund Bund junior
34JUNE-JULY 201634MAY 2016
34JUNE-JULY2016
Located in KL Sentral, the opening of The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur was one of the most highly anticipated hotel openings in Malaysia; in fact, in Asia. The delay in its opening was attributed to its good design aspirations and hence well worth the wait. Biz Events Asia was the first trade media invited for a visit and stay just days after its opening. The magazine was privileged by the invitation even though some leisure facilities were not ready. The pièce de résistance of the visit was a personal hotel tour by the owner and CEO of One IFC Sdn Bhd, Carmen Chua.
In an era where traditional luxury brands are challenged in capturing the hearts of the younger generation and the younger generation redefining luxury travel, this hotel will make heads turn for all the right reasons. Chua knew she wanted her first hotel to be a St. Regis as she was familiar with the history and legacy of John Jacob Astor IV and his wife, Caroline, since the opening of the first St. Regis hotel in New York City more than a century ago.
Chua’s vision remained diamond-clear (crystal really does not cut it when describing her fine eye-for-detail vision and passion) since she conceptualised the design and commissioned art pieces for this hotel in her early 20’s, eight years ago. “My vision for this hotel started from designing a Deluxe Room (lead-in room category) and we designed the hotel from the perspectives of a hotel end-user because I am one,” said Chua.
SenSe of Secured arrival
Our hotel tour with Chua started at the hotel’s porte cochère that promises no shoes will get wet during Kuala Lumpur’s torrential raining seasons. The vast oversized semi-enclosed porte cochère not only acts as a protective shield against the rain but also protects the privacy of identifiable individuals who visit the St. Regis.
Upon entering the lobby, two knife-edged full height wall leather murals by artist Mark Evans flank the arrival experience. The murals show a powerful charge towards and from, the perspective of a polo game, signifying the brand’s signature butler and front office team’s readiness to make contact with guests.
IMMERSION AND ELEVATION
HOw CARMEN CHUA TRANSFORMED LEgACY INTO MODERN LUxURY
Words: EL KwANg & RICHARD BAKER
#Theluxuryedition
Astor Bar
The Lobby
35JUNE-JULY 2016 35JUNE-JULY 2016
immovaBLE prEsEncE Past the reception and adjacent to
the contemporary flower design
is The drawing room. The stout
presence of the 2.5-tonne horse
sculpture by fernando Botero proudly
takes centre stage, supported by
a reinforced concrete slab that
engineers previously told chua could
not be done. chua’s research and
determination in creating the support
for the Botero Horse was as steadfast
as the panel of power sockets she has
designed and positioned underneath
each table in this room.
fuTurE-proof EvEnT spacEs as event planners’ expectations
continue to grow, the hotel has
developed versatile event spaces
with technology and equipment that
will enable them to be ahead of the
competition and attract key regional
events from Hong Kong, singapore,
indonesia and china, according to
hospitality veteran and hotel general
manager, anne scott.
similar to the hotel entrance, The
astor room (511-sq m junior ballroom)
and the 1,300 sq m grand Ballroom
each has a covered driveway with its
own separate entrance, allowing for
events to happen concurrently and
to facilitate smooth movement of
guests. despite separate entrances,
guests are able to effortlessly access
all 10,000 sq m worth of meeting
spaces whilst directed and guided by
professional digital signages.
guests entering at the ground level
entrance of The grand Ballroom will
be guided up the escalator through
the triple height volume space within
arm’s reach of the three-dimensional
“Birds and Butterflies” installation by
artist Barnaby Hosking, inspired by
chua’s childhood memories of time
spent at Lake gardens across the
hotel.
The st. regis Kuala Lumpur event
facilities are built for events with
multiple breakout streams. each
meeting room, big or small, has its
own private washroom facilities.
every meeting room on level two
has a different design scheme and
carpet pattern with walls featuring
original photo prints of the new
york stock exchange in the 19th and
20th centuries, a gift from chua to
her father’s 60th birthday which
took her two years to curate. each
small meeting room also has its own
service pantry and is linked to back of
house kitchens through sound-proof
hidden doors. The whole concept
was to ensure quality cuisine served
at the right temperature. chua also
ensured that the back of house
areas facilitate ease of service. she
said, “it must be easy for both the
guests and the hotel operations
team for seamless and elevated
service experience.”
The design and layout of the meeting
spaces are a talking point and
promote delegate interaction. for
example, the clean line kitchen and
bar built into The reading room on
level 2 encourages guests to mingle
during breaks whilst chefs cook up
exquisite tasting dishes using the
miele appliances. other remarkable
areas are the exchange rooms with
access to a 18-seat luxury cinema
called the screening room; which
are perfect for corporate offsite
events or temporary office during
office refurbishment or new office
set up period.
exterior
grand Ballroom
meeting facilities-dollar 1 room
36JUNE-JULY 2016
#TheLuxuryEdition
36JUNE-JULY 2016
The other main talk of the town is the
seamless 47-Led screen wall projection
system around the room’s circumference
where guests will be immersed in
panoramic virtual reality with exceptional
sound quality. despite a 12 metre-tall
ceiling, this ballroom has professional
rigging and lighting facilities that can
be brought down closer to floor level for
the safety of the production crew during
rigging process. it also has direct access
to a cargo lift large enough to bump in
a car. all these facilities allow quicker
and safer event bump in and out process.
snowie Tan, group managing director
of ecopia group based in malaysia who
thinks that the st. regis brand takes luxury
and class to a different level, said that
the grand Ballroom and its Led screens
are the impressive “wow” factor. access
to the ballroom is directly by lift from
parking bays as well as additional lifts
from the guest rooms. escalators from the
conference lobby make it user-friendly for
business events. The size of the ballroom
foyer is also great for pre-function
activities.
swEET drEamsstarting at 63 sq m, many may know
by now that the guest rooms at The st.
regis Kuala Lumpur are the largest in
the city. its speciality suites come with
its own massage room, security room as
well as his-and-hers walk-in wardrobes.
Though technologically savvy, the light
and power control panels in the rooms
are classically simple to use. The colour
palette is chua’s favourite shade of blue.
The leather bound signature minibar trunk
shows chua’s commitment to design
excellence. The layout of the deluxe
room will be appreciated by time-poor
couples or female roommates as one can
get ready in the dressing room whilst the
other freshens up in the adjacent double-
vanity bathroom. even the corridor on the
accommodation floors are wide enough
for two persons to walk side by side for
uninterrupted conversations.
Lots of attention to detail and good
finishing has gone into the decorative
and subtly painted wall panelling which is
replicated throughout the hotel, and those
with a fine eye for design will appreciate
the effort and level of craftsmanship to
achieve this level of intricacy. for example,
centred double leaf doors leading from the
suite living area to the guest room can be
effortlessly folded back to become
flush with the decorative panelling
woodwork.
However, it makes one wonder
about the maintenance strategy of
such finely painted panelling scott
and her team have to deploy. The
hotel has a simple strategy: no
room service and housekeeping
service trolleys will be used on the
accommodation floors.
food & BEvEragE chua’s vision is for dining guests not
to walk out of her food and beverage
outlets smelling like food. This
is taken care of by for example,
having a built-in exhaust in addition
to the ceiling mounted exhaust in
the tempura flyer at the hotel’s
ginza Tenkuni restaurant. Breakfast
served in the Brasserie is prepared
behind the scene, complementing
the peaceful restaurant ambience
as guests ease into their day.
chua’s favourite piece is the
decanter within The astor Bar.
Through in-depth research, trials
and errors, chua managed to
sound proof the dome ceiling with
handmade italian gold tiles despite
the doubts from designers and
building contractors. The outcome
is an intimate room with great flow
of energy where guests enjoy quality
conversations with each other,
surrounded by fine wines.
deluxe Twin room
meeting facilities- dollar 3 room
john jacob astor suite
snowie Tan - group md (ecopia group)
37JUNE-JULY 2016
37JUNE-JULY 2016
cross gEnEraTion crafTsman of Luxurycarmen chua’s talent and passion in
making her dream hotel come true are
not overshadowed by her youth, good
looks and wealth. she often says, “i wish
my home is like my hotel”. Her love for
the st. regis brand and respect for the
brand legacy like caroline astor’s love
for diamonds, are expressed through
the subtle diamond design sprinkled
throughout the hotel; she wore princess
cut diamond earrings on the day of our
visit.
The larger sized lift buttons were
especially designed and colour coded so
it is easy for both the older generations
and busy corporate guests to identify
and navigate through the hotel at ease.
yet, her definition of luxury is like the
way she dresses the hotel, effortlessly
modern. in our opinion, she has
successfully created a new type of st.
regis hotel that is cross-generational.
Hers is a new contemporary museum
across from muzium negara (national
museum opened in 1963).
chua’s father has a strong influence
on her. one of his mottos, the “one
project at a time” advice and his
training on reading floor plans and
blue prints have contributed to her
success. one could simply dismiss
chua’s achievement efforts and assume
that her family wealth has given her
all the advantages. However, not many
offspring from well-to-do families have
taken on a hotel project at the age of
25, persevered through the endless
naysayers and worked day in day out for
eight consecutive years to share with the
public her dream hotel.
The combined visons of both john jacob
astor iv and carmen chua has given
Biz events asia the immersion and
elevation of experience at The st. regis
Kuala Lumpur that truly reflect their
desire to “make the finest hotel the
world has ever seen”.
“my vision for this hotel
started from designing
a deluxe room and we
designed the hotel from
the perspectives of a hotel
end-user as i am one”
Carmen Chuaceo
one ifc sdn Bhd
The Brasserie
caroline astor suite Living room
38JUNE-JULY 2016
38JUNE-JULY 2016
#TheLuxuryEdition
any marketing and communications
specialist will say a brand tells a story.
sales professionals rely on the brand to
drive revenue. a powerful brand sways
the consumer’s decision to buy because
it triggers the tangibility of a memory or
emotion.
when conceived and created accurately,
a brand establishes trust. more
importantly, in a rapidly growing and
competitive region like asia, branding
generates demand that is, hopefully,
manageable. Large multinational
corporations invest heavily in managing
their brands especially when they are
luxury.
according to fay-Linn yeoh, branding is
important as it allows for an identity and
a lifestyle consumers can morph into.
However, some misconceptions of brand
management can lead to undesirable
effects. for example, brand managers
are not brand police. They are here to
enable and facilitate growth instead of
deterring it. managing a brand also does
not mean executing operation protocols
like food and beverage and front office
procedures. it must embody a holistic
mindset from design to marketing and
communications.
relevance in brand management is key
to continuous business success. when
it comes to improving a company’s
branding strategies, yeoh advised,
“ensure that the delivery of brand
programmes are relevant to customers,
address customer needs but with
a strong brand voice, and definitely
make it operationally executable”. The
leading team must engage to ensure
a 360 degree consistent approach to
all levels of customers, partners and
communication channels. it is important
for the team to cultivate and instil pride
for the brand and drive loyalty.
in the era of user-generated content
platforms and powerful social media
channels like Tripadvisor, clients have
never been more vocal about brand
experiences. yeoh explained that
consumers have higher expectations as
they are now better informed and savvy.
yeoh’s sound advice on establishing
splendid brand management skills is
to understand that with the current
consumer mindset, it is important to
first establish recognition of a brand,
and that there is a preference. and if
successful, loyalty will be established.
effective brand management should
also allow brand essence to grow with
Luxury dna
desPiTe sTiff comPeTiTion and HeigHTened cusTomer exPecTaTions, guesT ediTor fay-Linn yeoH exPLains wHy Brand
managemenT sTiLL sTands.
Words: eL Kwang
the times. one must be mindful when
refreshing a brand or executing a
rebrand. understanding the reason
behind the change is vital. always
have the customer in the centre of the
decision making process. in addition,
investing in proper professional
resources and thorough education of
the revised or new brand is a must.
“Brand management requires pride,
passion and a ‘loyalty beyond reason’
to the brands you are managing. one
should have a very clear and concise
understanding of what the brand is
all about. Be true to your brand and
love thy brand”, an advice yeoh took
away from a conference she attended
a decade ago which she still firmly
believes in.
“Branding is important as it allows for an identity and a
lifestyle that consumers can morph into.”
Fay-linn yeohdirector, Brand management asia Pacific, st. regis, The Luxury collection, food &
Beverage marketing, starwood Hotels and resorts.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
03.pdf 1 2016/5/6 10:48:06
40JUNE-JULY 2016
THe arT of anTiciPaTion
wHaT disTinguisHes Luxury service aParT and How can iT maKe a Brand sTicK? renowned for iTs Luxury service sTandards, we sPeaK To THe uPPer
House Hong Kong To find ouT more.Words: gina sin
sTay aTTunEdaccording to a national university of singapore (nus)
Business school customer service study, engineering a service
resolution requires counter-intuitive strategies. The study,
which analysed customer service operations over 25 years,
found that almost all companies want to provide great service
as it translates into improved customer loyalty and better
business in the long run. However, the traditional approach of
frontline staff training does not work, as they are fragmented,
incremental and based on faulty assumptions about the true
nature of service.
marcel Thoma, general manager at The upper House Hong
Kong, defines luxury service as “an environment that is not
only about a beautiful surrounding but also a service and
anticipation of service. an anticipation of guests’ needs and to
be attuned to guests’ wants.”
He shared that competition amongst hotels is fierce and
there are a lot of people promoting luxury service as their
core competency. “a modern hotel does not want to try to be
a traditional hotel and vice versa. when they do, guests get
confused and service delivery gets flawed.” He advised that it is
crucial for a hotel to understand what market they cater to and
adjust their service according to the target audience.
BuiLd a cuLTurEBuilding a service culture within the organisation needs to
start from the top and instilled within all the teams that play
an integral part to the services that will be provided. “in the
team, share guest interactions, positive feedback from guests,
when expectations are not met, and daily trainings. The daily
presence of our management team is very important as you
cannot run a hotel remotely. The daily interaction between staff
and guests is extremely important,” said Thoma.
Thoma also expressed that what distinguishes a luxury service
is the connection between a guest and the person who delivers
this service. “These days, it is more essential for guests to feel
at home in a hotel – being left alone when they want their own
space. guests do not need an all-day round entertainment and
attention from the staff.”
for talents within the hospitality industry to learn the art of
anticipation and luxury service, Thoma believes that if they
are service-oriented and a people person, they will be able to
proactively anticipate a guest’s need and understand how to
serve certain types of guest better. He shared that taking an
interest in a guest is an important start, and the rest will come
naturally with the daily trainings and exposure to different
guests. “always keep an open mind and think out-of-the-box.
avoid thinking in black and white, but grey.”
semi private dining booth at cafe gray deluxe
sky Lounge
40JUNE-JULY 2016
#TheLuxuryEdition
41JUNE-JULY 2016
Asia’s Leading Travel Trade Show
Fully Hosted BuyerPackage is now available
Sign up [email protected]/buying
Register as a Visitor
Up to 10% discount for group booking of 3 & above
Book now @itb-asia.com/visiting
Join us for MICE Day on 20th October 2016
For more information, visit itb-asia.com/conference
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
BizEventsAsia_ITB-Asia2016_Fo1to+Text_210x297_en.pdf 1 5/13/16 9:31 AM
Korea’s commitment to hospitality and excellence in service has been a natural fit for its luxury travel market, providing Seoul’s international visitors with truly memorable upscale experiences. From a wide selection of the world’s major five-star hotel brands to mansion-style function venues and a steadily growing range of deluxe shopping choices, Seoul’s stylish luxury options are truly in a class of their own. The 123-storey Lotte World Tower, which just finished external construction in March 2016, is an ideal example of a development that encompasses all of these luxury options and more, including an observation deck, a new concert hall on the roof of the new Lotte World Mall, office spaces and an aquarium. Following are just a few of the city’s finest.
StayDepending upon which part of the hotel you visit, the new Four Seasons Seoul exudes old-world charm and mod-con cool, all the while combining luxury and creativity to pamper and please the guest. Located in central Seoul between its ancient and modern seats of power - Gyeongbokgung Palace and City Hall – the nation’s first Four Seasons aims for eclecticism and character thanks to the influence of multiple designers from around the world. All throughout the facility, for example, can be seen works of art created by Singaporean design firm, LTW Designworks.
From lavish suites with full-service in-room dining and their own whirlpool baths to arresting city views detached from the hustle and bustle of city life, the Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul combines the resort-style luxury of the Banyan Tree brand with the finest in homegrown hospitality. Nestled in the verdant slopes of Namsan Mountain in the city’s centre, the complex easily earns its description of an elegant
“urban oasis” while at the same time being only a few minutes’ drive from the action.
MeetThe wedding venue of choice for many Korean celebrities, Aston House is a secluded mountain getaway in eastern Seoul, part of the five-star Sheraton Walkerhill complex. It has often been used as a setting for various Korean films and television dramas. Designed by Wilson Associates, the mansion-style building contains an elegant dining room as well as a lush garden for outdoor receptions with stunning views of the city as their backdrop. Taking its name from the famous 17th century Jacobean-style mansion in England, Aston House is the place to indulge in upscale gatherings.
ShopSeoul continues to set the standard for duty-free shopping; the Incheon International Airport duty-free mall, for example, has won multiple awards. Responding to the increased demand from overseas shoppers, new outlets are offering even more options in the city’s major tourist areas. Among them, Galleria Duty Free 63, offering everything from Sulhwasoo to LiPault, can be found in 63 Square, the iconic golden skyscraper overlooking Seoul’s Hangang River. Meanwhile, Shilla iPark Duty Free, known as the world’s largest urban duty free shop, offers over 600 brands from its prime position in the Yongsan-based Hyundai I’Park Mall, including foreign favourites like Mulberry, Jimmy Choo, and Philipp Plein. Retail giant Shinsegae has also opened its first duty-free store in Myeong-dong, central Seoul’s must-visit destination for many overseas shoppers, selling among other things 70 luxury watch brands.
A Classof Their Own
Seoul Supplement
Aston House
Shilla iPark Duty Free
Four Seasons Seoul
Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul
To find out about other luxurious venues in Seoul, please visit www.miceseoul.com or contact the MICE Hotline at [email protected]
43JUNE-JULY 2016
44JUNE-JULY 2016
EVENT OVERVIEWSeoul recently hosted its largest-ever international incentive group to date when 8,000 employees of the Joy Main Science & Technology division of China-based firm Zhongmai Group were rewarded with a week in the city. Having previously rewarded 1,800 of its employees with a cruise to Seoul in 2013, Joy Main was keen to return, this time on a much larger scale. A timely discussion between the company’s travel agent and Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon during a post-MERS Korea tourism roadshow in China last year ultimately assured them that an incentive trip for 8,000 would be met with full government support from Korea’s capital.
EXECUTION + CHALLENGES & TRIUMPHSProviding Joy Main’s employees with a gala event to welcome their arrival, the city sponsored a special dinner and a show, which was held twice for two groups of 4,000 over a staggered two-week visit. The dish of choice was samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup), believed to prevent illness – especially during the summer – and prized by Chinese visitors, who are ardent consumers of Korean red ginseng. The show, meanwhile, took the form of a lively concert featuring Korean pop stars who had contributed to the soundtrack of the recent television series Descendants of the Sun, a smash hit in China.
To ensure the two-week incentive trip went as smoothly as possible, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seoul Tourism Organization, and many other official entities worked together closely to make both the gala events and other leisure activities the best they could be. Upon arrival visitors were greeted with welcome messages on the multi-screen LCD displays at Incheon International Airport and received welcome kits containing, among other things, USIM cards and personal greetings from Mayor Park. Efforts were made to find the most suitable venue for the gala, with the final choice being Banpo Hangang Park,
a popular leisure space alongside the Hangang River, home to the Some Sevit floating island complex.
Special permits were obtained from the local district to set up food preparation trucks for the samgyetang, while pre-show entertainment and amenities were provided for the guests on site, such as food trucks, currency exchange, comedy and magic shows, and more. The Seoul MICE Supporters, a pool of event operations staff trained by the Seoul Convention Bureau, were on hand to facilitate the gatherings, while the city’s unique tourism police were even dispatched to help control traffic as Joy Main employees explored the capital.
Seoul MICE Alliance members also played a major role, with SMA hotels the Bell-essence, Best Western Premier Seoul Garden, and The Shilla Seoul all providing accommodation for Joy Main visitors. Elsewhere, SMA nonverbal live art performers The Painters and Namsangol Hanok (traditional Korean house) Village added a splash of Korean-style fun and culture to the experience.
EVENT OUTCOMESeoul’s hospitable efforts to go the extra mile for Joy Main certainly did not go unnoticed. “We were impressed by how much they went out of their way to treat us as VIPs” enthused Zhongmai Healthcare Group president Li Dabing.
“I will never forget the dinner and concert, which will forever remain with me as a cherished memory,” affirmed Li Dabing. “I want to thank all the citizens of Seoul for their warm welcome.”
To find out about Seoul’s support programs and services for business events, please visit www.miceseoul.com or contact the MICE Hotline at [email protected].
Seoul’s Largest-ever Incentive Group
Enjoys VIP Treatment
Case Study
A recent reward trip to Korea for 8,000 healthcare employees proved no problem for Seoul, with a city-sponsored dinner party next to Seoul’s
world-famous floating islands proving a recipe for success.
CLIENT: Joy Main Science & Technology (Zhongmai Group)
TYPE: Incentive TravelVENUE: Various locations in SeoulWHEN: May 5-9 (Group 1), May 9-13
(Group 2)PAX: 8,000 (2 groups of 4,000)
46JUNE-JULY 2016
46FEB 2016
For so many organisations there is a pressure to “open new markets For members”, especially in regions that are culturally diFFerent. who is enabling this exchange and how does it beneFit both sides? what are the considerations and how is it worth the investment? an international proFessional conFerence organiser (pco), trade show organiser and destination take part in a debate and study tour.Words: JenniFer salsbury
#Associations
46JUNE-JULY 2016
taking the First step
47JUNE-JULY 2016
asia has long held a deep and mystical fascination for europeans. historically seen as the exotic orient and the source of luxury goods almost unattainable elsewhere – silks, porcelain, spices and tea, to mention a few. today through an active knowledge exchange of scientific research and specialist training, and through learning platforms provided by the associations world at their events, the fascination continues.
k.i.t. group gmbh, a berlin-based international pco, organised a study trip for europe-based association executives in conjunction with the itb asia show in singapore for two consecutive years. running annually in october, the show provided an opportunity for the 50 or so participants in the “east meetings west” study tour to meet asia-based business exchange providers and, six months on from the 2015 trip, the results are coming home to roost with the experiences shared bearing fruit for the various organisations.
“k.i.t. group is committed to the vision of an ever-more collaborative and innovative association meetings landscape. we will be actively supporting many association clients as they develop new or existing initiatives in the broader asia pacific region with the aim to build lasting value. to do this, what we offer has to be relevant,” said hainsworth on the study tour objectives.
Ben hainsWorthexecutive director of the association and conference management company, k.i.t. group
47JUNE-JULY 2016
participants included european and international association executives, regional volunteer officers and regional meetings industry leaders. expertly chaired by hainsworth, the participants recently gave feedback on key thoughts gained during their experience in asia; following is a summary:
KEY PHENOMENA• participants were impressed by the
whole new internationalisation of the association mindset
• the new “knowledge economy” is truly global and no longer focused just on the us and northern europe
• of the us-based american society of association executives (asae) members organising conferences, 47 percent run meetings offshore and 17 percent now have offices outside the us
• there are increasing numbers of projects with scientific and other professional collaboration or “co-endeavours”
• the focus is now about “value creation” rather than “value capturing” in markets new to organisations
in discussion, hainsworth identified a move that was leading more associations to “think beyond their natural territory”. adding to his point, “we are seeing international annual conferences venturing into ‘new’ territories and many european
JenniFer saLsBUrYcontributing editor
associations are developing specific meetings and programmes in asia.”
that led to an examination of the trends encouraging european associations to consider participation and creation of research projects, events or other activities outside the borders of the european region. reporting on feedback during the study tour, hainsworth commented: “sometimes such groups will act independently but quite a few do so in partnership with leading local associations, many of whom are actually taking the lead in such initiatives.”
it seems k.i.t. is active in this arena and hainsworth has announced encouraging upcoming business resulting from these efforts. “in the next few years our group will deliver major events in india, singapore, malaysia, Japan, and of special interest, china, where we are currently establishing a more permanent presence to optimise local relations and performance.”
these are the trends that popped up clearly from conversations during the week.
TRENDS• the movement of going “beyond
borders” is a phenomenon across all sectors of associations including life sciences, engineering, cultural, sport, finance – even in the meetings and association management industry
48JUNE-JULY 2016
• with developing markets in asia coupled with a growing economy in the region, travel and access to global capitals have led to fast growth of airline routes for both leisure and business travel, with asian carriers leading in many aspects of service - the meetings market capitalises on this kind of access
ann delmiche, director of events at UitP, the organisation for “advancing public transport”, was one of the speakers at the itb session, and has had a long connection with asia and uitp with well-established offices in the region. we asked her what business models are working for them. her key response was “reciprocity and a common interest” with “partnership as opposed to a supplier/host relationship” and “showcasing local expertise” a close second. advantages for the uitp activities and some of the reasons for running events in the region include:
• a showcase for asian expertise• the opportunity to bring benefits to
local stakeholders and the resident population
• illustrating success whilst highlighting the differences between the us/eu approaches and asian initiatives
• relevance – in a changing world keeping in the forefront of real need
• the pressures within the local markets – compliance, budget constraint/rationalising, the need to demonstrate growth – means that established organisations are increasingly finding the need to look for new areas where they can “follow the money” or identify new income resources – asia is providing one such new resource
• the “push and pull” exchange or the demand in “new” regions like asia for know-how or experience and educational training from the established markets in europe and north america
all these trends and new opportunities have led the european associations to include asia when aspiring to new markets. so why asia?
THE ASIAN ADVANTAGE• new and fast growing wealth in
asian countries• “untouched” population – sheer
volume of numbers newly exposed to the learning of the “old world”, and desiring more, for their developing regions with basic practical needs
• emerging knowledge centres – having trained in europe or north america. practitioners have opened “user-friendly” research facilities to new technologies and research concepts. the asia-based scientists can apply “western” practices in asia
• technology – the asian region, like many other developing regions, has “leapfrogged” communication technology and is very open to pushing technological boundaries in general
• Facilities – having identified “meetings and events” as overall positive economic impact generators, serious investment has been made by most asian governments in meetings infrastructure and there are many attractive opportunities for organisations new to the region in “win-win” scenarios
and development plus providing the appropriate and constructive support is the challenge
• when sponsors have a choice to make with shrinking expenditure available, understanding objectives and ensuring relevant outcomes for investment is essential to maintaining “sponsor buy-in” for new projects
• managing expectations and providing the platform for real integration between local business and policy makers, global players and new startups is the new challenge
• running local offices feeding in to regional centres of excellence is the real key to creating value propositions for all
• when budgets are limited for newer, riskier projects, rigorous financial management becomes the key element to maintaining the integrity of the international brand whilst providing the established and expected quality of event
Josche ouwerkerk, Managing director, international Federation of Library associations (iFLa) and tan huay Cheem of asia Pacific society of Cardiology (aPsiC) shared opinions on their decisions to bring their events to singapore to reach the region. these emerged as decision making factors:
48JUNE-JULY 2016
#Associations
ann deLMiChedirector of events at uitp
49JUNE-JULY 2016
• right to knowledge is universal – the events should run for easy access to all users around the world or at least rotate to reach everyone every few years
• organisations have a universal commitment to bring international advances to the regional population and reach every local communities who would not travel outside their regions
• collaboration both internationally and regionally to create a new “knowledge”
• great air connections in singapore makes it possible to build new regional networks within southeast asia and spread as far as the gulf states, Japan, south korea and the pacific islands, including australia and new Zealand
• the destination itself shows understanding of vision and international objectives marrying these with the clear knowledge of the local and regional stakeholders
• the integration of governmental bodies behind a common vision to build the science sector through the meetings and events industry greatly supports the ease of moving to the region
• with a main focus on healthcare (plus other cutting-edge science and technology fields) which supports the biggest field of the association event sector
• years of experience and funding facilitates the provision of appropriate tools and facilities
• access to other asian markets through a multi-national population and cultural understanding
• legislation and administration services enable easy creation of a foothold in the region for the global landscape
• last but far from least there is, through developing the infrastructure, a real opportunity to build a lasting legacy – a goal for so many international groups
49MAR 2016
JosChe oUWerkerkmanaging director, international Federation of library associations (iFla)
Find us on
first avenue, bandar utama city centre, 47800 petaling jaya, selangor, malaysia. toll free domestic: 1300 88 7888 toll free international: 1800 88 7888tel: 603 7681 1111 fax: 603 7681 1188 email: [email protected] website: www.oneworldhotel.com.my
Half Day Meeting Package from RM228 nett per person per day
Full Day Meeting Package from RM240 nett per person per day
2016 Meeting Packages
Meeting faci l i t ies, recognised by the world.
At the 5-star One World Hotel, you can expect ample space, luxuriously appointed with spectacular chandeliers and state-of-the-art facilities including simultaneous interpretation system, live feed facility and mood lighting with variable colour setting and free Wi-Fi. However, what makes corporate functions here extra special is the opportunity to put fun back into functions.
Anything’s possible in One World. To add some excitement to your next event, speak to our Conventions and Events team today at 03-7712 2289 or email [email protected]
*Prices are in Ringgit Malaysia and inclusive of 10% service charge and 6% goods and services tax.
50JUNE-JULY 2016
50JUNE-JULY 2016
Biz EvEnts AsiA workEd with LindBLAd
ExpEditions-nAtionAL GEoGrAphic on A
dEstinAtion sELEctEd from hAvinG thE
Luxury of choicE
#DelveInto
AntArcticA
51JUNE-JULY 2016
A picturE-pErfEct journEy to thE Bottom
of thE worLd thAt iGnitEs thE sEnsE of
AdvEnturE - AntArcticA
if you feel that you have been everywhere and
yet are still craving for a destination that takes
your breath away. if you feel that you are in need
to align your core in order to focus on what lies
ahead. Even if you ever feel that all you want is to
be far away from the rest of the world and learn
something new, this journey is possibly best
suited for you, especially if you are a start-up
entrepreneur.
As the 19th century french novelist, Gustave
flaubert, said, “travel makes one modest. you
see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”
Beyond the glitz and glamour, is an opportunity to
explore Antarctica with the Lindblad Expeditions-
national Geographic.
Larger than Europe and almost twice the size
of Australia, Antarctica is not like the rest of
the world. it does not have a government or
nationality like we know. it has no permanent
human residents. what it has is a treaty
(Antarctic treaty) signed by 52 countries and
enforced in 1998 that only peaceful activities
like research are to be carried out on this white
continent until its review in 2048.
the respect for environment is upheld by the
protocol on Environmental protection to the
Antarctic treaty where no mining and other
mineral resources extraction activities are
allowed unless they are for research purposes.
All activities, including tourism, require
spirit of
ExpLorAtion
environmental assessment. the closed-to-no-
ozone protection continent houses 1,000 scientists
(more during summer) who are there in the name of
research.
Although norwegian roald Amundsen, the first
explorer who set foot on the south pole in 1911 once
said, “Adventure is just bad planning”, the team
at Lindblad Expeditions-national Geographic has
everything planned out the moment they meet you at
the 2 departure points: Buenos Aires and santiago.
from there, guests can embark on a 10 or 21-day
adventure on zodiac and kayaks. those who have
been there said it is filled with wildlife, natural
iceberg sculptures and clear air. what is unique
about these tours other than exploring under the
confident guidance of expedition leaders and veteran
naturalists, is the chance for keen shutterbugs to
spend quality time throughout the trip with national
Geographic certified photography instructors who
provide personal photography tips.
with almost 24 hours of daylight during the tour
months from november to february, activities can
be tailored especially if one is keen to capture the
midnight sun phenomenon around christmas each
year. here are some activities in Antarctica designed
by Lindblad Expeditions – national Geographic, after
the journey at sea on the drake passage from the
departing port of ushuaia. hopefully this will inspire
you to acknowledge that in life, we do have the luxury
of choice. As mark twain famously said, “twenty
years from now you will be more disappointed by the
things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.”
WorDs: EL KWANGPhotos: LINDbLAD ExPEDItIoNs
51JUNE-JULY 2016
52JUNE-JULY 2016
Incomparable wIldlIfe experIenceonly the plains of the serengeti during the migrations can compare to the wildlife spectacles offered by both south Georgia and the falklands. in south Georgia you’ll see a single rookery with tens of thousands of king penguins—an astonishing sight and an indelible memory. in the falklands, you’ll see rockhopper penguins in great numbers in their “hobbit shire” of the tussock grass. And, in both, you’ll have the rare opportunity to see albatross in great numbers—wandering albatross with their impressive 11-foot wing spans; and beautiful black-browed albatross—in colonies that fill the windward ledges of these southernmost islands. these, plus elephant and fur seals, pelagic birds in great numbers, and various species of whales feasting on the southern ocean’s seasonal bounty create unprecedented wildlife viewing experiences for you.
ExpEriENcEs cUratEd bY LiNdbLad ExpEditioNs-NatioNaL GEoGraphic
#DelveInto
52JUNE-JULY 2016
every day Is actIve and engagIngyou’ll get out on adventures every day in Antarctica, south Georgia and the falklands. the falklands are ideal for walking adventures, with some hikes ending in a “cream tea” served in the parlour of a welcoming farmhouse. south Georgia island is the final resting place for explorer sir Ernest shackleton, and we’ll hoist a toast at his gravesite. in all locations, your expedition leader will enable daily zodiac cruises and kayak expeditions too, sometimes twice a day—creating the opportunity for you to experience the wonders with all your senses, at water-level or eye-level. you’ll have a choice of activities plus your choice of naturalists to join—for a movable feast of personalities, insights and interests, or just simply relax. Enjoy the view from behind Explorer’s panoramic glass windows. or visit the fitness centre with its generous views of the ice vistas, or ease into the sauna or a massage in the wellness centre.
add the human dImensIon to the Icefrom the ghostly remnants of the whaling stations that once peopled south Georgia, to the warmly welcoming ranchers of port stanley on the falklands and the penguin-adapted researchers of port Lockroy, a picturesque science station off the otherwise unpeopled weddell sea coast, you’ll experience the contrast between the majestic, uninhabited wildness of Antarctica, and the unique human incursions into the land of the ice.
“we believe that luxury is the emotional and intellectual pleasure that guests derive from the extraordinary experiences they
encounter on an adventure.”
gareth JamesGeneral manager
Lindblad Expeditions Australia
Photos: LINDbLAD ExPEDItIoNs
53JUNE-JULY 2016
REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOWJoin thousands of the world’s key players at the biggest meetings industry trade show in the U.S. Forge ahead to Las Vegas for face-to-face connections, blockbuster business and free education. Register today for IMEX America!
THE pulse OF THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY.
IMEXAMERICA.COM
The go-to show in our industry inNorth America.
54JUNE-JULY 2016
54JUNE-JULY 2016
Discover the islanDs that are
maturing as a luxury business
events Destination
#DelveIn
to
inDonesia
the sanchaya beach view
55JUNE-JULY 2016
luxurious amenities anD well-traineD staff are just the tip of the iceberg as we embrace the serenity anD artisanal hospitality of the
sanchaya on bintan islanD.WorDs: gina sin
they are always there. small, independent hotels, often family-owned and run with a wealth of experience in providing memories to last a lifetime. whether it’s in giving a sense of style, character and uniqueness, or just simply peace and quiet, these hotels have one thing in common: individuality. the level of warmth and attentiveness in their service is something that may not be found in traditional run-of-the-mill hotels.
“an ode to the exotic grandeur of asia, the sanchaya encapsulates the southeast asian region in one striking locale, yet retains an unforgettable individual character,” explains natalya pavchinskaya, founder of the sanchaya.
the sanchaya, which means “collection” in sanskrit, is a collection of 21 villas and nine suites, a clubhouse, two restaurants and 24-hour in-villa dining, a bar, wine cellar, wine-cheese-and-cigar lounge, function space, 50 metre-long infinity pool, spa, fitness centre, beachside yoga pavilion, croquet lawn and an archery space great for team building activities.
ArtIsAnAl hospItAlItyopened in December 2014, the small luxury hotels of the world member cultivates highly refined service standards that pay homage to the attentiveness observed by its service staff, also known as “artisans”, on this private estate.
sweet serenDipity
all guests of the estate – called “residents” – enjoy a seamless arrival and departure experience thanks to the express immigration and customs clearance handled by the estate’s artisans. after a 45-minute high-speed ferry ride from singapore’s tanah merah ferry terminal to bintan’s bandar bentan telani ferry terminal, an artisan ushers its residents to the sanchaya’s own (and the only) vip lounge in the ferry terminal for refreshments as their baggage and immigration are being taken care of. if this isn’t enough to impress the vips, the estate’s yacht is available for private transfers from singapore to bintan, private charters and sunset cruises.
the ColleCtIona luxurious estate steeped in colonial elegance, the sanchaya was conceived as an eclectic mosaic of southeast asian countries that fuses the essences of the orient and the european salon. all villas and suites are adorned with carefully curated art and furniture pieces to provide a glimpse into the captivating histories and cultures of the region, along with custom-designed chinaware, bathroom amenities and bespoke coffee blend.
its nine suites are set on the upper floor of the main building – the great house – with ample wraparound balconies that gaze out over beautiful gardens and the shimmering south china sea. tech-
savvy people will certainly appreciate modern touches like the bang & olufsen television, apple tv, ipad mini and wifi throughout all suites and villas. revel in seven of the gleaming dark wood-panelled one-bedroom villas at the thai-inspired lawan village, its high vaulted ceilings, garden and lagoon surroundings evoking a sense of much-needed tranquillity. 12 other one- and two-bedroom villas open up to stunning ocean views, each named after a national flower around the region.
UnleAshIng potentIAlstart the day fresh with a sunrise yoga at the yoga pavilion by the beach with the estate’s yoga instructor, before a wholesome breakfast at the Dining room, an all-day dining restaurant that serves european and southeast asian delicacies including indonesian fare a la carte.
featuring striking dark tones, polished timber floors, stylish furnishings and rare artefacts, the sanchaya’s function venue – the Dahlia – can host up to 75 people theatre-style or 48 for a banquet. situated in the great house, the Dahlia opens up to a colonial-style terrace and impeccably manicured lawn suitable for cocktail and outdoor events overlooking the estate’s 50-metre long infinity pool and the south china sea beyond. cocktails by the beach or the pool, and private wine tastings with the estate’s sommelier, are among a host of other event options.
56JUNE-JULY 2016
hey are always there. small, independent hotels, often family-owned and run with a wealth of experience in providing memories to last a lifetime. whether it’s giving a sense of style, character and uniqueness, or just simply peace and quiet, these hotels have one thing in common: individuality.
“
“bedroom villa living room
the salon library
a host of recreational and team building activities can be customised on the estate, including playing croquet overlooking the ocean, petanque or archery with a traditional bow. for a more exclusive activity, capture a bird’s eye view of lagoi bay by taking to the sky in an open cockpit ultralight seaplane
MInDfUl lUxUryannually, the sanchaya awards two young locals with a year-long hospitality scholarship to support their education and provide in-house work experience while they develop their industry knowledge and skills. they are then able to gain employment at the estate upon successful completion of the programme.
specialised mineralisation procedure purifies and bottles still and sparkling water right on the estate. these procedures provide safe, pure and healthy drinking water. bottles are fully recyclable, which saves up to 80,000 plastic bottles a year.
the sAnChAyA spA experIenCerelax, rejuvenate and restore a sense of wellbeing to the body, mind and soul through an array of treatments including balinese, deep tissue, aromatherapy, herbal, and thai massages. two treatment rooms cater to a multitude of massages, while two verandas with zero gravity beds cater to foot reflexology.
found only on the estate, choose from seven of the sanchaya spa’s customised chakra massage oils on offer, each with its own health benefits. java volcanic stones are used during
#DelveInto
tthe sanchaya signature massage, which warms the body’s tissues before relaxing long strokes are applied combined with forearm pressure. end the experience over a warm cup of chakra tea that will prepare one for a renewed sense of being.
57JUNE-JULY 2016
ANIDBN_BizEventsAsia�June_210x297_FAp.indd 1 27/4/16 1:01 pm
58JUNE-JULY 2016
walking up to the beautifully restored bungalow that is lewin terrace in singapore’s fort canning park, one would understand why the aman resorts held its networking event there: luxurious, historical, cosy and welcoming. while speaking with ian white, general manager at amanjiwo, we found out about a property so compelling we just had to share.
ChArM of CentrAl jAvAwith the colossal ninth-century buddhist sanctuary and unesco world heritage site, borobudur, as its neighbour, amanjiwo (meaning “peaceful soul”) is an unexpected resort located in yogyakarta, indonesia. fashioned entirely in the form of a pillared temple from coral-beige limestone known locally as paras yogya, the resort is set within an amphitheatre of lush palms and rice fields.
its 36 suites and rooms laid out in two crescents around the central rotunda is a juxtaposing complement to borobudur – one of the world’s largest buddhist monument and one of the many religious sites in the
area. limestone walls, domed (some thatched) roofs, high ceiling, terrazzo flooring, traditional glass paintings and antique batik pillows are just some of the elements that make up the rooms. because of the materials used to build the resort, white shared that it required no extensive refurbishments to the property, which almost mirrors the beautifully time-weathered hindu temples on the Dieng plateau dated from the seventh to eighth century.
as a rehabilitation for the mind, body and soul, the surrounding dramatic landscape is ideal for trekking the steep flanks of mount merapi or into the lush menoreh hills, replete with villages, clove plantations and rice fields. being one of indonesia’s richest and most diverse artistic regions, the surrounding rural villages host frequent celebrations, with gamelan music and spirited dancing, while centuries-old architectural and sculptural masterpieces adorn the surrounding hindu and buddhist temples.
biz events asia spent an afternoon with aman resorts when they were in town
recently to meet its key clients anD meDia to announce its 31st property anD more.
WorDs: gina sin
soul sanctuary
we human beings with our short lifespan are nothing but a fleeting traveller at a moment in time. this ambitious project will continue to recount and nourish the next generation with hopes and expectations for the future.
“
“
amanjiwo main building
amanjiwo suites
nAMe An AMAn resortslated to launch in 2017, aman’s fourth property in shanghai, china, will comprise a village of historic dwellings surrounded by a sacred camphor forest. bellied in close proximity to downtown shanghai, the resort and its surroundings will comprise of daring engineering feats with roots that began from a philanthropic endeavour spanning hundreds of kilometres along the country’s eastern reaches.
the story begins in jiangxi, the mountainous, cultural heartland of eastern china, approximately 800 kilometres southwest of shanghai. the construction of a reservoir in the province in the early 2000s threatened the area’s historical villages and ancient camphor trees which had stood for almost two millennia since the Qin dynasty, the first dynasty of imperial china.
in a bid to preserve the region’s vanishing past, this project entailed over a decade of disassembling, relocation and restoration of more than 30 villages (including 50 chosen ming and Qing dynasty houses and 10,000 ancient camphor trees) by a rescue team of botanists, engineers, architects and master craftsmen who battled through years of trials and tribulations. these include flash floods that overturned trucks and shattered the temporary bridges constructed to access remote villages.
as houses were dismantled piece by piece, they revealed ancient building techniques used in their construction, ornate carvings and elaborate stone reliefs that depicted family histories dating back to more than 2,000 years. these, and other architectural elements, joined the rescued camphor trees
on a long journey, via a fleet of flat-bed trucks, to shanghai where they would later be resurrected.
vladislav Doronin, chairman of aman, said, “every aman has a story to tell and this one is no exception. this project and the many challenges it presented were unimaginable, but we overcame them not only to defy the test of time, but to push the boundaries of traditional hospitality. this resort, a legacy to the past, stands proud as an archive for future generations. i am especially grateful to ma Dadong, the mastermind behind this unique restoration project and whose foresight and determination have made it possible to preserve the magnificent history of china for generations to come.”
ma Dadong, the lionhearted entrepreneur behind this ambitious rescue and restoration project, and a native of jiangxi, said, “we human beings with our short lifespan are nothing but a fleeting traveller at a moment in time. as a guardian of the past, i realised the only way to protect and celebrate our history was by instilling a new life and purpose into these ancient homes, and to allow the sacred trees that surround them, to be animated with renewed spirit. much like the ornate stone carvings and the stories they hold, this ambitious project will continue to recount and nourish the next generation with hopes and expectations for the future.”
the new aman in shanghai has yet to be officially named, and the group welcomes suggestions to name this historical destination.
59JUNE-JULY 2016
garden pool suite
“this is the soul of aman. it is like welcoming guests to the home of a dear friend. the ability to anticipate needs without the guest
having to repeat a request. most people have heard about it however we continue to keep it exclusive as it is very special.”
AnnA nAshDirector of public relations
aman resorts
60JUNE-JULY 2016
from the traDitional to the exclusive anD aDventurous, we bring you the latest venues in the inDonesian archipelago.
inDonesian intrigues
UbUD hIDeAWAyan art expression workshop led only by local artists, sipping afternoon teas while overlooking the quiet lush of surrounding flora and fauna, and cocktail events for up to 40 guests by the pond-like pool amidst the forested escape of bumi Duadari are just some of the activities that grace the private residence of renowned indonesian art collector and designer hendra hadiprana. situated just a 15-minute drive away from the chedi club tanah gajah in ubud, central bali, bumi Duadari is a sanctuary of serenity that was recently opened as an appointment-only space for events and unique experiences, and is perhaps the most exquisite hideaways in central bali.
bumi Duadari, which translates to “earth protected by two angels”, is a two-hectare property that was opened to the public after hadiprana decided his villa at the chedi club tanah gajah – which he transformed from his family’s rice fields – was better left to visitors of this small central balinese town. while hadiprana’s private room is off limits, the rest of the estate is open
for appointment-only artistic forays, afternoon teas and events.
ADventUre glAMpIngas part of the treasure bay bintan development over the next 10 to 20 years, the canopi resort lends a different perspective to the traditional meetings and business accommodations. termed “glamping”, which is a blended version of “glamourous camping”, the two-hectare canopi resort boasts 40 tent-suites, a 338-hectare adventure ground that includes a private mangrove river, southeast asia’s first and largest recreational body of filtered sea-water and a 6.3-hectare saltwater crystal lagoon.
canopy also has a meeting room capable of seating 60 people in a classroom setting and 80 people theatre-style. but the resort’s multiple activities are a bigger draw for corporate and incentive travel groups.
bAtAM beCkonIngslated to open in the third quarter of this year, radisson golf & convention center batam will be one of the first international hotel brands to be launched in the business events and family-friendly city of batam. offering 240 rooms and suites, the hotel’s flexible meeting and event spaces include a ballroom that accommodates up to 1,600 guests banquet-style. all meeting spaces are well-equipped with audiovisual technologies, and banquet menus that can be customised to suit local and international tastes.
radisson golf & convention center batam is about five kilometres from the batam center ferry terminal, which provides several daily connections to singapore just an hour away. conveniently located in the upscale sukajadi area of batam, adjacent to 18-hole sukajadi championship golf course, the hotel is part of bukit indah sukajadi, a 220-ha development that includes residences, offices and retail spaces. it is also within walking distance of kepri shopping mall and close to nagoya, the offices of batam center, and muka kuning batamindo industrial park.
#DelveInto
bumi Duadari
the canopi resort
62JUNE-JULY 2016
62JUNE-JULY 2016
Revisit bustling saigon and exploRe the
tRanquil island of phu quoc, to discoveR
how southeRn vietnam is upping the
ante to attRact business tRavelleRs.
#DelveIn
to
vietnam
beachfront pool, novotel phuc quoc Resort
63JUNE-JULY 2016
it’s easy to fall in love with a countRy that
Respects tRadition and histoRy, while its people
move foRwaRd with boundless eneRgy.
WorDs: ong WenlI
saIgon – CrossroaDs of past anD futuremy favourite memory of saigon from before
was at a local coffee house, watching two boys
peddle their shoe-shining services and the
afternoon go by while sipping my vietnamese
iced coffee.
five years on, the subway system that was
promised is within sight, trendy cafes have
popped up on every corner and a massive
68-floor commercial building watches on as
the city evolves. the notre dame cathedral
and saigon central post office – architectural
marvels from the 1800s – are flanked by shiny
new high-rise developments. this city is
charging ahead and not looking back.
at the economic centre of vietnam, saigon city
is vibrant and ambitious. “we see an increase in
requests for business events such as incentive
or meeting groups and have handled several
high-end programmes into vietnam,” said
max Jantasuwan, group managing director of
events travel asia. delegates tend to look out
for unique experiences and hands-on activities
that reflect the strong vietnamese history and
culture.
luxury of spaCethe pullman saigon centre sits in district 1 of
the city, near the bustling ben thanh market,
saigon’s historical local market. selling
everything from fabrics, coffee, local produce
luxuRy Re-
imagined
to handicrafts, the market is a popular landmark
with both tourists and locals alike.
appealing equally to leisure and business
travellers, the contemporary 306-room hotel
serves as a haven from the hustle and bustle
of the busy city. the hotel also features plenty
of open spaces around the lobby and meeting
areas, while floor-to-ceiling windows provide an
unobstructed view of the city and a refreshing
sense of space.
DIssolvIng the boxpharmaceutical and insurance companies are
major markets for events, favouring the 700-sq m
pillar-less function room and five customisable
meeting rooms with natural daylight. a large
chill-out space and adjacent business centre
were designed to support interactive conference
formats and breakout meetings.
beachfront pool, novotel phuc quoc Resort
Max Jantasuwan,
group managing director
of events travel asia.
64JUNE-JULY 2016
tony chisholm, general manager of
pullman saigon centre, talks about
tailoring new solutions for conference
organisers, “there is this whole work-life
balance cliché and we try to link work
with fun activities. delegates have to get
through the conference and key content,
our job is to provide great service and food
and beverage options.”
executive chef, matthias mittnacht, has
updated many of the hotel’s culinary
offerings, many of which involve infusing
menus with local produce and his own
spin. perfect for battling the summer
heat is the nitrogen ice cream bar, where
chefs serve up a unique menu including
capsicum and bacon flavoured ice creams
amidst a cloud of smoke.
post meetings, cobalt bar – the highest
rooftop bar in saigon – provides a
spectacular night view of the vibrant city.
already a popular spot for the after-
work crowd, chisholm hopes to draw in
more millennials with new concepts and
creative bites.
lobby, pullman saigon centre
#DelveInto
less than an hour away by plane
from saigon and hanoi, the island is a
refreshing choice for corporate groups
that are fatigued by the mainland or
destinations in thailand and cambodia.
boasting a huge national park, golf
courses and high end resorts that
capitalise on the pristine beaches, it is
easy to see why the local government is
promoting phu quoc as the next phuket.
any infrastructure that is lacking is
phu QuoC – enDless potentIali was joined by a boisterous incentive
group of nearly 200 pax on my 50-minute
domestic flight from saigon to phu
quoc. the group also had plans to
visit novotel phu quoc Resort, where i
spent two nights. phu quoc is serviced
by several flights from saigon and
hanoi daily, with seasonal international
flights also coming in from siem Reap,
cambodia and singapore.
phu quoc, spanning 574 sq km, is
famed for its endless stretches of
white-sand beaches, fresh seafood,
fish sauce and pepper plantations, is
the largest island in vietnam and one
of the closest to saigon. i discovered
that the locals were also proud of
their phu quoc dog farms and sim
wine (distilled from the small fruits
of Rose myrtle trees), attractions
found solely on the intriguing island.
elegates look out for unique
experiences and hands-on
activities that reflect the
strong vietnamese history
and culture
“
““dbedroom beachfront villa, novotel phu quoc Resort
65JUNE-JULY 2016
quickly being built, roads are being paved and the island’s first shopping mall is even set to open this year.
relax, unWInD, repeatJust a 10-minute drive from the phu quoc international airport, novotel phu quoc Resort sits along its private stretch of the long beach, a perfect spot to watch the sunset. the resort has 336 spacious rooms and villas and is the second largest mice venue in phu quoc, with 650 sq m of meeting spaces. unwinding after a day of meetings is easy with a well-equipped spa, two pools and an inviting beach.
the resort is also noticeably family-oriented, with tennis courts, bicycles, a large kid’s pool and a kid’s room well-furnished with games. children under 16 years old and staying in the same room as their parents can enjoy a kid’s breakfast and utilise existing bedding at no additional charges.
with a day to spare, fishing, snorkelling and diving in the warm waters at multiple spots around the island cannot be missed, followed by dinner at the night market in duong dong town. locals and tourists gather there at sunset to enjoy seafood prepared vietnamese-style, washed down with the famous sim wine.
#neWproDuCtsmeetings at pullman saigon centre just got merrier with the option to upgrade to one themed coffee break. innovative themes such as vietnam local urban
touch (alfresco coffee station and local snacks) or planet 21, the hotel’s sustainability programme (organic juices and fresh local fruits) replace the standard refreshments.
this is only valid for new bookings from June 1 to september 30, 2016, for a minimum of 50 persons.
#ItInerary CreateD by events travel asIaDay 1 - saIgonhead to Reunification hall, which was the residence of president ngo dinh diem of the former south vietnam until 1975. visit former meeting rooms, bunkers and war situation rooms ten metres underground.
notre dame cathedralgeneral post office
ben thanh market
then visit notre dame cathedral and general post office, designed by gustav eiffel, a testament to the french presence in the late 1880s.
Day 2 – phu QuoC the journey begins in ham ninh fishing village. enjoy fresh seafood (shellfish, squid etc) at the cheapest prices, tranh stream, black pepper garden, local sim wine tasting and the traditional fish sauce factory.
Day 3 – phu QuoCvisit the beautiful beaches of phu quoc and the pearl farm of australia.
proceed to an thoi pier to board the boat to the southern archipelago, for snorkelling at four islets at coral Kingdom and fishing at pineapple islet and coconut islet. enjoy a traditional vietnamese lunch on board.
in the afternoon, head back to the mainland sao beach for swimming and relaxing by the beach.
Day 4 – phu QuoCvisit the famous ben thanh market and saigon square for shopping.
Day 5 – saIgonvisit the war Remnant museum with exhibits that include the photographs, machinery and weapons that depict the history of vietnam.
66JUNE-JULY 2016
#Knowledge
James and Tamara Lohan, The reaL-Life coupLe behind mr & mrs smiTh bouTique hoTeLs websiTe,
speak To biz evenTs asia abouT The essence of modern Luxury TraveL and hospiTaLiTy.
beyond The gLiTTer
66JUNE-JULY 2016
Words: gina sin
67JUNE-JULY 2016
biz events asia’s #knowledge section is
brought to you by the singapore institute
of Technology.
unimpressed by british hotels before
the turn of the century, the smith hotel
collections have been a game-changer in
the luxury boutique hotel and hospitality
industry for more than a decade; having
evolved from printed guidebooks in 2003
to a full-fledged booking website that it
is today.
so what is modern luxury?
at mr & mrs smith, it is not about the
stars, diamonds or rosettes – it is about
the personality and character of the
interior design, whether the barman
mixes a good cocktail or how friendly
the service is. it is no longer about the
formal, stuffy, luxury environments of
days gone by, but these days it is about
places that offer a unique experience and
a personal touch.
Tips on finding value in luxury Travel
• don’t pay for facilities you won’t have time to use – especially if
you’re on a fleeting business trip
• do your research – it is worth checking in advance that the
restaurant you want to eat in is actually open on a monday
• get into the members club via the room-booking. stay at the
battery san francisco for access to all its members-only areas
• make use of a hotel with a great concierge to jump the queue on
the best attractions and secure that elusive restaurant booking
Trending acTiviTiesThe couple shared that they are seeing
a move towards hotels that give back
to their local community. nihiwatu in
sumba, indonesia, for example, has
community outreach programmes in
local villages, its own turtle hatchery
and a foundation working to clean water
and reduce malaria on the island. There
is also a growing trend for rooms that
bring them closer to nature, like the
otherworldly treehouses at keemala in
phuket, Thailand. cookery schools and
kitchen gardens have also been springing
up at a faster pace – places that put
food at the centre of their ethos, such as
Thyme in england where they grow their
own produce, and ett hem in stockholm
which has its own farm.
MisconcepTions of luxuryone of the key features of a smith hotel
is to be friendly, personal and discreet. it
is not about the bowing and scraping that
makes one feel uncomfortable. instead,
it should be about the attention to detail
that will make the experience out of the
ordinary, and treat every customer as an
individual.
according to the Lohans, one of the
misconceptions about luxury travel is
that it is always extremely expensive. “it
can be, of course, but it has moved on so
much more from that. most people think
luxury travel means “five-star”: spa,
huge pool, michelin-starred restaurants,
extensive grounds and chandeliers over
dinner. but luxury can actually mean
something truly authentic and relaxed.
often, the hardest part is finding the staff
to deliver the service levels required in
an industry that, by nature, has a high
turnover rate. but there are hotels like
upper house in hong kong that continue
to amaze them with its consistently
superb service.”
great service should be about making
it personal. Tamara shared that when
she was at the hotel in hong kong, she
casually said in a conversation with one
of the staff how she missed her yoga
classes back home, having travelled for a
couple of weeks. a few hours later when
she got back to the room, there was a
yoga mat and dvd waiting for her with a
personal note.
67JUNE-JULY 2016
68JUNE-JULY 2016
Whether it is a painstaking work of art on a cup of cappuccino or catering to thousands at a luxury event, food styling has become an integral part of a dining experience.
Key to success“How a dish is styled and presented often serves as a first impression. Not only does it represent the individual style of a chef, it also correlates to the perceived value of a meal,” said Eric Neo, Executive Chef at InterContinental Singapore.
“Imagine sitting in a fine dining venue and being presented with food that looks dreary, lifeless and without any thought put into how it is being served and received. The visual disappointment will correlate directly with the taste buds, culminating in an unmemorable experience,” shared Richard Baker, Managing Director of Scope Identity Consultancy, a hotel refurbishment consultancy firm.
To Alvin Valencia, Director of Sales at MISA Meetings and Events, food styling is essential to the success of an event
# ARTful
GASTRoNoMyBiz events AsiA AsKs professionAls
from the Business events And hospitAlity industry why food styling
is importAnt And how it Affects the gourmet experience.
as with the venue décor. “I always make it a point to spend half a day to sit down with my caterer and do a dry run of the food plating and service. This not only helps me to ensure that food will be served exquisitely, but also helps my clients and I get some additional cost savings measures and reduce food wastage, being a strong
Words: GINA SIN
advocate of sustainability myself. I handle events for the Asian market, so when I was in Moscow, someone laughed and told me that it is normal in Russia to serve a fish appetiser that weighed about 300 grams. I knew then we had to shrink the portions, which also helped us reduce food costs.”
However, taste and technique are also crucial in order to provide guests with a multi-sensory experience, according to Robert Stirrup, Executive Chef of fairmont Singapore & Swissotel The Stamford. He says that the growing number of diners documenting their meals through photographs also makes it important for dishes to not only taste good but look pretty as well.
how tounderstanding what the event is about, client expectations, the element of surprise and whether it aligns with the culinary team’s capabilities are key points identified from the respondents’ comments.
68JUNE-JULY 2016
Eric Neo
69JUNE-JULY 2016
“Appreciate the event theme, the table décor, the surroundings and understand your team’s capabilities. After all, it is about the process,” commented Baker.
Chef Stirrup advises to “think of new and creative ways to create a visual impact through the equipment or vessels used to present the food. More often than not, a luxury event is all about a summation of the entire experience.”
“Surprise us.” These are the two words Valencia’s high-net-worth clients would always tell him. “The best culinary experience is one that carefully considers the five sensorial pleasures: aroma, texture, flavour, audio and visual presentation. Molecular gastronomy is still an “in” thing. There is almost no limit to an #eventprof’s imagination.”
Other than making it look appealing, Chef Neo feels that it is always important to highlight the freshness of the ingredients used, and as much as possible – showcase them in their natural state. “An example would be to have certain shellfish or seafood dishes served in their shells, or having sea urchin and oysters presented in their natural state on ice, other than bringing out the colours in each dish.”
Size matterS“Conduct a reality check based on your team’s capabilities and establish what is achievable, before committing to the expectations of your client. An event for 500 guests can be operationally taxing, ensure therefore that you take all steps necessary to wow the guests without over-complicating things. A smaller scale event for 50 guests will allow you to go into more detailed food styling that can be replicated with greater consistency,” said Chef Stirrup.
Regardless of the event’s size, timing is key. Hot food needs to arrive at the table hot, and chilled food to arrive cold. Valencia also shared that for guests over 200 pax, and depending on the occasion and budget, he would offer his clients other food service methods such as a buffet with “action stations”, which adds entertainment value or platters for sharing.
Chef Neo expressed that the only difference between styling food for
Robert Stirrup
a banqueting event for 50 versus 500 guests, is knowledge of pre-preparation needs. “Whether it is an event for 50 or 500, we still seek to achieve consistent plating and presentation on each plate, as the same food styling concept applies. Presentation and styling can be worked on the day of a small-scale event, while pre-preparation may begin the day before for larger events.”
What to avoidAmong others, Valencia shares the following pet peeves of his:• Never execute anything without the
clients’ approval• Never miss the designated serving
cues• Never let the waiting staff march
down with the food without knowing what the food or main ingredients are
• Never take for granted the size ratio of serving portions and plate
Both chefs pointed out that food styling should not be overcomplicated. Chef Neo advises to always keep styling of dishes simple between three and five steps, bearing in mind that the eyes feast first, while Chef Stirrup advises not to risk blending too many elements together, or with flavours that are not complementary.
While there are no hard-and-fast rules to food styling, Baker thinks that “the task is to enhance the food experience but not to overshadow. A true food stylist should be able to select available and seasonal ingredients specific to the geographical region and always be aware that food styling is only “the gatekeeper”. The true experience is within its doors.”
70JUNE-JULY 2016
for many, there is an undeniable pull to travel the way food attracts one to the table. Not just for hunger, it is the possibility and anticipation of a memorable experience and the promise of a story, whether in a familiar setting or the tantalising unfamiliarity. other times, some of the best tales are told at the table, connecting people in a way unlike anywhere else.
Building on last year’s success, the week-long pop-up dining series held from May 30 to June 3, 2016, saw five internationally acclaimed chefs from five countries around the world deliver captivating gastronomic experiences as part of The luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts’ strategic approach to showcase its unique heritage and hotel destinations.
new experiencesfay-linn yeoh, Director, Brand Management Asia Pacific at Starwood Hotels & Resorts shared, “of the two chefs added to the list this year,
#
A TAlE of EPICuREAN JouRNEyS
A sneAK preview into the luxury collection’s epicureAn Journeys in
singApore to find out the gAstronomic ensemBle Brought to the tABle this yeAr.
Corporate Chef Manjit Gill is the only one out of the five chefs returning to this year’s edition, being the pillar of this pop-up dining series. More colours were also added to this year’s offering, including two afternoon teas on June 1 and 3 by Hotel Bristol Vienna.”
Held at a new venue this year, partners and media indulged in exquisitely prepared cuisine in the elegant settings of 1919 Waterboat House – a colonial heritage building known as one of Singapore’s busiest ports once upon a time.
culinAry mAestrosExecutive Sous Chef Manachai Konkangplu of Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit in Bangkok introduced dishes from the four different corners of Thailand currently featured in the hotel’s revamped menu at Basil restaurant. Chef Konkangplu blended tender raw tuna with ground roasted rice powder, chilli powder, lime juice
Words: GINA SIN PHoTos: CHuA yI KIAT
70JUNE-JULY 2016
71JUNE-JULY 2016
and mint to give an amazing burst of flavours and spices.
featuring only seafood, Executive Chef Dario Parascandolo from Hotel Danieli in Venice provided an Italian wonder of Venetian Grilled octopus served with soufflé potatoes, green and black olives, basil pesto, tomato puree, capers and parsley sauce.
Hailing all the way from Athens, Greece, Executive Chef Sotiris Evangelou of Hotel Grande Bretagne presented a lovely plate of Baby lamb fillet with smoked eggplant trilogy, raisins, pine nuts and tzatziki foam.
Chef Gill on the other hand brought four decades of culinary excellence by beautifully combining char-grilled jumbo prawns in carom-flavoured yoghurt, red chillies and turmeric with his blend of spices, and served it with Khasta Roti, a semolina and whole-wheat crisp bread.
Executive Chef Manuel Gratzl of Hotel Bristol, pleased the crowd with his rendition of Viennese sweet treats, which was a symphony of strawberry mousse, chocolate ganache with sea salt, raspberry and caramel apple strudel wanton and brownie.
The Epicurean Journeys showcase was an inspirational reflection of The luxury Collection’s rich culinary landscapes and the chefs’ passion, especially when we found out that some of the ingredients were hand-carried by the chefs themselves. It was a brand awareness programme that keeps growing because it is rooted by a spirit of diversity and an understanding of what they want as a luxury brand.
“luxury to me is time. Time to allow me to experience places, time to take in a destination, and time to spend time with loved ones,” said yeoh.
72JUNE-JULY 2016
StrategiSing your cuStomer data ProfeSSional email marketing SolutionS Provider, inxmail, ShareS how to utiliSe email marketing data to reduce coSt and drive roi.
72JUNE-JULY 2016
73JUNE-JULY 2016
#WiredUp
although email marketing has been around for a long time much has changed in recent years. improved data analytics, significantly lower costs, and changing data laws have reshaped the industry. these offer great value to companies engaged in email marketing, but also requires companies to re-evaluate their current email marketing supplier to ensure they are in compliance with new data laws and receiving the best pricing and support.
Pricing, data security/compliance, and delivery rates should be the top considerations for your company when deciding which email marketing provider to use. all of these are required to guarantee a stable and secure email marketing platform that will provide a strong roi.
Challenge: RedUCing Costs and inCReasing Roia major hotel chain came to us seeking advice to reduce their costs. they had not renegotiated the rates with their current supplier in several years and were using employees in their marketing and it departments to design and send their email marketing campaigns. they wanted to reduce their reliance on their it department and lower their pricing.
solUtion:if you are not re-evaluating your email marketing pricing every year, you’re probably paying too much. inxmail’s highly competitive email marketing rates managed to reduce the hotel chain’s email costs by 70 percent. additionally, we designed custom templates for the hotel chain to use on their email campaigns. the hotel chain’s marketing department could now easily insert the graphics and texts required into the templates inxmail had created and no longer required help from their it department. this reduced the time it took to design campaigns
and better utilised the it department’s resources.
Challenge: Complying With Changing data laWsa Singaporean company came to us requiring help with compliance to the Personal data Protection act (PdPa) which had come into law in July 2014. the company assumed it was doing things correctly but wanted to be sure since the PdPa required them to change some of their current data handling procedures. they were also unsure if their current email marketing supplier complied with the new data laws.
solUtion:a friend recommended the company to inxmail, who has been helping many companies find solutions to these challenges over the past 16 years, as they knew we are rapidly expanding in asia Pacific and are regarded as having one of the highest levels of data security and compliance in australia. inxmail utilised knowledge of the local market and years of experience complying with the Privacy act and Spam act in australia as well as germany’s strict data privacy laws. working with the client, we were able to ensure they established new data collection and protection procedures which would be in compliance with the PdPa and set forth a way of helping them to cleanse the 18 percent of their data that was found not in compliance with the new data laws.
Challenge: ReCaptURing lost datatwo of the largest senders of email marketing in australia were losing hundreds of thousands of their clients each year because their email marketing provider was inaccurately removing customer emails from the company’s email database. the companies knew many of these email
JotItDown#
74JUNE-JULY 2016
Pricing, data security/compliance,
and delivery rates should be
the top considerations for your
company when deciding which
email marketing provider to use.
““
Words: lawrence kuSz
director of SaleS
inxmail
addresses were from good customers,
but were unsure which, since the email
marketing company they were using
wrongly identified the email addresses
as “bounced”. they needed to identify
the valid email addresses so they could
re-engage with these customers and
increase their sales.
solUtion:one of the best ways to increase your
database is not to lose any good data
you already have. with careful analysis
of the incoming bounced messages
received from the billions of emails
inxmail has sent we amended the
bounce rules to achieve a substantially
performance indicators of delivered bounce recoverY campaign165,744 bounced recipients
45.17% (74,873) reached* | only 54.83% (90,871) hard or Soft bounced again
(13,612)
openings(1,677)
clicks(507)
unsubscriptions(61,261)
no reaction
18.18%
2.24%0.68%
81.82%
higher deliverability rate than others.
these changes resulted in an average
45 percent recovery of bounced data
(with a 3-8 percent engagement rate)
that clients had lost by using other
email marketing companies. the first
bounce recovery campaign we ran
resulted in over $30,000 of sales to
the client.
it is important for all businesses to
ensure they’re receiving the best deal
and not losing valuable client data.
evaluate your current offer to ensure
you are receiving the most from your
email marketing provider.
*inaccurately removed by previous e-mail solution provider
(reactions of recovered recipients)
nowwe are herefor you.research | strategy | branding | marketing
i am ferdi, your personal ideator.let’s connect via [email protected].
ideas to create and activatewww.ideateagency.com
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
ia_BEA 1Page Aug-15 Issue.pdf 1 21/7/15 12:41 pm
17 Ideate Agency AD.indd 17 26/9/15 12:01 am
76JUNE-JULY 2016
Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa hosted the glamorous black-tie 2016
Singapore Fete le Champagne on May 27 2016. Kerry Healy, Vice President of
Sales and Henrik Berglind, Vice President of Loyalty at AccorHotels, Asia Pacific,
gathered their top-tier loyalty customers for the glittering gala dinner. The unique tasting,
organised by Vitisasia, brought together renowned French champagne houses paired
with an exquisite five-course dinner.
LuxuRy nigHT-ouT
wiTH ACCoR
77JUNE-JULY 2016
The recent wine Down wednesday sponsored by Holiday inn Singapore
orchard City Centre hosted over 70 guests in an intimate networking session on May
25, 2016. A section of the hotel’s Lobby Lounge & Bar was closed off to allow
professionals from the events, tourism and hospitality sectors to come together to meet new people, learn and maintain face-to-face interaction. This monthly event is organised
by ACi HR Solutions and Biz Events Asia.
winE Down wEDnESDAy
goES inTiMATE
#Engage
78JUNE-JULY 2016
#趋势
永恒奢华奢华旅行和生活方式的旅程要求其遗产的尊重和理解Words: El Kwang & RichaRd BaKER
奢侈品是见多识广 其年代为早在罗马时代遗留的态度 无论是旅行 事件或标签 体验奢华好 应该尊重奢华的艺术和了解的关键信息和欣赏奢华背后的人才
现代化 再加上创新科技 转化成永恒的现代豪华超越非凡的价值 这表情动作的感官 情感和触发内存 强大的品牌交付协会 吸引忠诚和建立豪华遗留更深的尊重 如今 每个人都明白强烈的视觉识别的能力和公司强大
的品牌或标识的资产 有些采用聪明的标记线和口头禅 一种情绪反应 往往就显得有些价值体系的一部分 在今天的分散 点播和即时满足的文化 实现视觉连贯性是有些坚韧的
品牌推广工作真正需要的是应用程序和进程 (电子通讯和传统的册子有不同的需求和可缩性); 营销部门以外的任何人员都能有相应的通信工具; 即使在组织内能掌握好以上的需求 品牌都可随时受到外部讯息的影响 一个典型的例子是无诚信的消费者公开在社交媒体平台发表反馈意见
从商业角度来看 品牌进行战略投资的原因有很多 在管理投诉 筹办会议或不同情况下准确的展现公司的品牌是最基本的需求 精致 复杂性的豪华品牌更需把它列为优先事项 每个大作的精髓需 尽管潮流 时尚和全球经济的变化发展而不断的执行 奢华的意义才更根深蒂固的融合在我们的日常生活
尽管考验和磨难 奢侈品应该通过其情感和坚定的能量捕获人的注意力 一个好的艺术作品或一个好的设计应该识别和单一出来 而应对的感觉和一个人的挑剔的眼光 在工艺和注重细节最终在几年前的投资打破鲜血汗水和泪水初级学徒在他们的专业擅长 总是由房子的主人守护着 这是过去的和尚未完美关系的挑战之旅的经验 目前的形式
79JUNE-JULY 2016
Melissa curry国际珠宝设计师和BYOS老板
奢华由完整性定义和方法的起源是它的设计 产品或服务 这是时间 手艺人船的赞赏和通知细节的感觉 和更深的美丽
““特邀编辑 Richard Baker奢华的定义
作为一个酒店专家让我负责 并对其负责 我们承担责任 我们选择的职业生涯和我的是没有不同的 早期 得到自己的旅行和文化意识沉浸的机会 我的领域例证家具 装置和设备 FF E 和采购 通过选择世界上最好的面料 丝绸和纺织材料 下床在上午3点30赶上清晨红眼安特卫普当然不是富有魅力 但它让我从欧洲的根深蒂固的文化资本体验创意设计过程 我发现和见证并通过多年的旅行我学会了如何尊重传统和文化的完整性从深度和水平接地起源 要了解流程和应用程序的时间悠久的传统和创造的能力努力和卓越的性能领先 但总是被仔细的眼睛看了过来 这个细心的眼睛对我来说意味着什么的典型元素有永恒的豪华 所以我没有说错 奢侈品确实找我充分诠释又保障其根深蒂固的连接和永恒的奢侈品“总是仔细的眼睛观看了”
有时好的行程和一个惊人的之间的差异归结为一点 那就是 酒店 没有激起的Scope identity办公室的地方我们最热衷 最有可能推荐给别人很多争论 因为专家建议 并与业主酒店我们的专业咨询见证了这一切 在眼睛的一瞥而吸入我的第一次呼吸 我可以感受到情感和空间理解和阅读历史和传统之间的关系的完整性 属于什么 什么不和我打听有没有合适的 没有错误的答案 但有必须遵守并执行 实现无可比拟的经验基本原则
我自己的纪律和与设计的关系享有与“少即是多”包豪斯运动1919-1933 并通过形式和功能的统一的启发 很有想法 设计是在社区服务的关系 一个信念 在完善和基本的设计 最大的空间逻辑的效率 我的设计是一个自信的过程中 投资于你喜欢什么 是你自己设计的原则负责 但总是看的多进程与谨慎又小心高超的眼睛“
80JUN-JULY 2016
#封面故事
浪漫奢华的巴黎
Words: 关有成
巴黎除了以浪漫的爱情 缤纷的色彩和绚丽的灯光吸引着成千上万的旅客外 其丰富的文化遗产 奢华与气派更受商务旅客所青睐
巴黎除了以浪漫著称 也是一个著名的商务旅游目的地 Biz Events亚洲在法兰克福IMEX展后 造访巴黎 实地了解为何在发生一系列恐怖袭击事件后 这座浪漫之都仍可以吸引无数游客前往
新老时尚势力的融合与碰撞黎拥有15个会展中心 总展览面积达600000平方米 每日举办近300场的活动据巴黎旅游与会议促进署亚洲 北美及英国市场负责人Corine Bernadou说 “新加坡是我们越来越重要的市场 在法兰克福IMEX展上 许多来自新加坡的活动策划公司代表到巴黎展台参观及询问 巴黎是欧洲第二大城市 第一次造访欧洲的游客总希望看到巴黎的文化 创新和现代化 ”
巴黎作为一个老牌旅游城市 除了拥有丰富的文化资源外 名胜古迹更是比比皆是 著名的埃菲尔铁塔每年都吸引着数以百万计的
游客造访 在会展活动方面 巴黎可以为活动策划者提供很多选择 融合了历史 传统和最新元素 巴黎旅游与会议促进署代表表示 未来的新发展还包括将十八及十九专区延伸至圣丹尼斯和奥贝维利耶 在巴黎城市整治项目Clichy-Batignolles联合开发区建造新司法大楼和重新整装的巴黎造币厂的开幕 巴黎造币厂始建于864年 是法国最早的机关之一
巴黎是个艺术之都 目前有超过2万5千名艺术家在巴黎居住和工作 走在巴黎街头 处处可以欣赏到艺术 在777公里长的塞那河漫步或是在这里举办一场义跑都是极佳的会奖活动 在进行脑力激荡之前到博物馆和画廊走一走 或许能带给你一些灵感
谁说巴黎没有海滩 每逢夏季 巴黎市政府就会别出心裁地推出“夏季沙滩节” 在塞纳河畔用细沙 棕榈树 吊床 遮阳伞等打
造出了美丽的海岸风情
若要有一个难忘的体验 不妨选择在博物馆举办活动 尤其是那些建于十九世纪 风格独特的博物馆
巴黎 购物香榭丽舍大街是一条集高雅 浪漫 繁华时尚于一身的世界著名城市道路 对于巴黎购物者来说 香榭丽舍远胜于一条购物街它是全世界顶尖品牌的超级集中营 在这里购物 除了是购买物品外 也是对品牌背后的故事及其创意的进一步了解 无论是路易•威登 伊夫•圣罗兰或是香奈儿都在对其客户讲述着一个个扣人心弦的故事
巴黎不仅拥有那些如雷贯耳的艺术品和历史渊源 她令人着迷的本质还在于弥漫在街头的那种气氛和味道 巴黎不仅仅是一个留在过去的传奇 也是活在当下的精彩
81JUNE-JULY 2016
大客厅 Le grand salon 本厅为半圆形 另外一边则是直线 这样的布置让人想起十八世纪对曲线的偏爱这里的装饰融合了十八世纪的精微与文雅的元素 屋内的装饰让人遐想到原屋主爱德华•安德烈 Edouard André 和他的妻子奈利•雅克马尔
Nélie Jacquemart 招待客人的情景
音乐厅 Le salon de musique 就在大客厅的旁边是另一个大型接待室 这个房子是典型的第二帝国风格 有红色的墙壁和深色木家俱 画廊上部的某些布置令人忆起拿破仑三世时的杜伊勒里宫和费里耶尔 Ferrières 的罗斯柴尔 Rothschild城堡 则是由最受追捧的装饰画家所作 这里最适合举办高格调的晚宴 宾客可边听高雅的古典音乐 边欣赏皮埃尔•维克多加朗
Pierre-Victor Galland 的穹顶画
巴黎香水博物馆坐落在第九专区 距离杜乐丽花园约1公里处是巴黎香水博物馆 这家博物馆隶属著名香水品牌Fragonard 花宫娜 记录了香水发展的历程 这座博物馆置身于一栋独特的建筑中 木地板和水晶枝形吊灯构成的空间华丽无比 来到这儿您仿佛就回到了旧时的巴黎 这里很适合举办鸡尾酒会 可容纳约200人 宾客除了可以了解香水的发展历程外 也可以了解香水制作的秘诀
雅克马尔•安德烈私人博物馆雅克马尔•安德烈私人博物馆是非常著名的私人博物馆 其整个收藏兼容并蓄 丰富多彩 它位于法国巴黎8区的奥斯曼大街旁 距离著名的香榭丽舍大街大约一公里
这家私人博物馆建于1869-1876年之间 原本是银行家爱德华•安德烈 Edouard André 和妻子奈利•雅克马尔 Nélie Jacquemart的私人宅邸 安德烈与妻子双双崇尚艺术 不仅对艺术收藏独具品位 而且他们慷慨地把住宅 家具和艺术收藏品捐赠给巴黎人 让大家可以共同分享艺术的精华 雅克马尔•安德烈私人博物馆不只是一家博物馆外 也是一个可供人举办活动的独特场地
平方米 鸡尾酒会式 宴会式114 150人 90人宴会厅介绍
平方米 鸡尾酒会式 宴会式103 150人 90人宴会厅介绍
“巴黎是欧洲第二大城市 第一次造访欧洲的游客总希望看到巴黎的文化 创新和现代化 ”
Corine Bernadou巴黎旅游与会议促进署亚洲 北美及英国市场负责人
82JUNE-JULY 2016
去年 我们在奢华专刊第一期中尝试以不同的角度来探讨“奢华”这个课题 文化 时间 知识 人才 便利 金钱甚至是健康 很多读者给予了我们很多正面的反馈 我们也因此受到很大的鼓舞 接下来 我们将更加努力 继续与读者探讨不同的课题
在这一期的奢华专刊中 我们将继续探讨“奢华”这个课题 我们很荣幸邀请到 Richard Baker 和 Fay-Linn Yeoh 担任这一期的特邀编辑 Richard热衷于设计 尤其是对包豪斯风格更是情有独钟 他在酒店设计和造型方面积累了丰富的经验 对“奢华”这个课题更是有他独特的见解 他将与我们分享有关这个课题的真知灼见
另一位特邀编辑是来自喜达屋酒店及度假村的Fay-Linn Yeoh 她将与读者探讨有关品牌管理的课题 此次合作 也让Biz Events 亚洲成为第一个体验吉隆坡瑞吉酒店的行业杂志 除了有机会体验酒店的完善设施外 Biz Events 亚洲也在酒店老板 Carmen Chua 的亲自带领下 进行了场地考察 Carmen Chua 也是 One IFC Sdn Bhd 的首席执行官
谈到奢华和时尚 人们往往会想到巴黎 此次我们也特地前往巴黎寻找具有“十九世纪”风格的奖励活动场地 巴黎的消费主义始于十九世纪 奢侈品业的发展和奢华生活的鼓吹都带动了消费 此时也是地标性建筑埃菲尔铁塔落成的时候 除了巴黎 这一期我们也将为大家介绍越南 印度尼西亚以及地球最南端的南极洲
Carmen Chua 是一位对工作充满激情的人吉隆坡瑞吉酒店就是她8年来的心血结晶 从她20几岁开始 就孜孜不倦地在筹划着这家酒店她的毅力和决心让我们深受启迪 踏进吉隆坡瑞吉酒店 给人的第一个感觉是无与伦比的典雅格调 酒店内无处不彰显奢华气质与宜人的氛围
奢华绝非是目中无人或以金钱就可获得 真正的奢华讲究的是贴心和观察入微的服务 奢华需要时间 需要人才 最重要的是需要坚定的纪律总之 奢华是一种心态 是一种必须用心去感受的东西 患有视障和听障却成为有史以来第一个获得文学学士学位的著名美国作家海伦•凯勒就曾说过 “世界上最美丽的东西 看不见也摸不着 要靠心灵去感受 ”
希望您在阅读时 能找到属于自己的奢华时刻
这就是最好
#
封面照片为雅克马尔•安德烈私人博物馆音乐厅(Le salon de musique)
有关巴黎奢华的报道 请翻阅页78-79
Biz Events 亚洲是以下机构的会员及指定官方媒体:
2016年6-7月份
82JUNE-JULY 2016
孙蕙蓉
Richard Baker
Fay-Linn Yeoh
关有成
照片由 So acome 提供
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
insert-BEA-PW_Mar16.pdf 1 10/03/2016 9:10:35
Untitled-3 1 2/6/16 9:19 pm