May 2022

The government of Western Australia has included in its 2022-23 state budget, an increase of AUD31 million in funding for tourism events. This along with AUD20 million for a new Major Events Fund, of which AUD5 million has been allocated for the hosting of business events.

This funding is in addition to the AUD15 million, Reconnect WA package, announced in December of 2021.

The boost in funding comes at a pivotal time for Western Australia’s business events industry, which is poised to experience a significant period of growth and recovery, following the reopening of Western Australia’s border.

“The impact of covid-19 on the business events industry has resulted in a massive hit, in terms of real losses and future business confidence, so this funding boost is well timed as we continue our efforts to secure lucrative business events to re-energise and rebuild the many venues and small businesses who are, still struggling two years into this pandemic,” said Mr. Bradley Woods, chair of Business Events Perth.

Whilst Western Australia’s tourism minister Mr. Roger Cook reiterated that: the increased funding would maximise opportunities for the state in securing lucrative business events for the state’s economy and tourism sector.

Mr. Cook said: “This is the next stage in turbo-charging Western Australia’s economic transition after the successful management of covid-19 for more than two years.”

He further mentioned a revived program of business events will, help Western Australia, create an economic legacy beyond the value of initial tourism expenditure.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association has endorsed Mr. Peter Semone as the chair of the association’s executive board during the 71^st PATA Annual General Meeting held virtually on May 13.

PATA also elected six new members to its executive board.  They are: Mr. Benjamin Liao of the Forte Hotel Group, Chinese Taipei; Mr. Suman Pandey, Explore Himalaya Travel and Adventure, Nepal; Mr. Tunku Iskandar of Mitra Malaysia Sdn. Bhd, Malaysia; Mr. SanJeet, DDP Publications Private Ltd., India; Mr. Luzi Matzig of Asian Trails Ltd., Thailand; and Dr. Fanny Vong from Institute for Tourism Studies of Macao, China.

Top left to right: Peter Semone; Benjamin Liao; Suman Pandey; and Tunku Iskandar.

Below left to right: Luzi Matzig; Abdulla Mausoom; Noredah Othman; SanJeet; and Fanny Vong.

They will be joining current executive board members Dr. Abdulla Mausoom from the Ministry of Tourism, Maldives and Ms. Noredah Othman of Sabah Tourism Board, Malaysia.

While Mr. Benjamin Liao and Mr. Suman Pandey were elected as the new vice chairman and secretary cum treasurer.

Supported by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, the 2023 ICCA Congress, will coincide with Bangkok showcasing the first half of the city’s 20 year strategic development plan; that of transforming into the ‘Metropolitan City of Asia’.

It is also the year of economic revival for Thailand, as the country opens up to the world again stated by the president of TCEB, Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya.

Mr. Chiruit also pointed out that one segment of the congress programme which is particularly important for Thailand’s MICE professionals, is the ICCA Business Exchange.

The session where ICCA members share vital commercial information on the bidding process, selection criteria and budgets of their recent events, which can provide essential guidance to Thai MICE players in crafting winning bids.

TCEB will invite 20 local associations to attend ICCA’s Incredible Impacts Programme meeting where the spotlight, will be on how international conventions have helped bring positive change to societies around the world, leaving behind legacies for local communities and the next generation.

For Thailand, hosting the ICCA Congress 2023 will generate substantial economic returns, with business opportunities for the country’s MICE community.

More than 1,000 overseas and 200 Thai delegates are expected to attend the congress. It’s estimated the congress itself, will generate three million USD in revenue, and have other positive impacts such as: job creation; tax revenue; as well as added values to the Thailand economy.

This will be ICCA’s sixty second congress and Thailand has been a member of ICCA since 1974.

Ms. Mala Dorasamy will head the Malaysia International Exhibition Centre. She  was previously the venue’s director of marketing and sales was made the acting chief executive officer in 2021.

The Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre is the country’s largest exhibition centre with over 45,000 square metres of gross exhibition and meeting space.  MITEC has played host to some of the world’s major events from the SEA Games in 2017 to Defence Services Asia Exhibition Conference 2018 to PowerGen Asia in 2019 among others.

Ms. Dorasamy’s appointment came at a time when MITEC reopens its facilities in conjunction with the resumption of the business events sector in the country.  According to the new chief executive officer, the facility looks forward to welcome conferences and exhibitions back.

Ms. Mala Dorasamy is Chief Executive Officer of MITEC.

Originally from South Africa, Ms. Dorasamy has worked for the Durban International Convention Centre as its director of marketing, sales and events.  She has over 31 years experience in the business event industry and specialises in opening of new convention centres.  Her expertise lies in sales, marketing business development, sales, risk management and implementation and management of ISO standard and Halal certification.

She was also nominated as the Top 40 Women in MICE in Africa for 2015, and was honoured with the South African Association of Conference Industry Fellowship Award.

The key goal of the programme is, to raise the hospitality experience in the luxury travel segment, whilst offering new luxury lifestyle amenities for high-value travellers, which is predicted to lead in the recovery of tourism worldwide.

The USD one billion reinvestment programme has already commenced at Marina Bay Sands, and in a news release by the property, it states that the reinvestment reaffirms Las Vegas Sands’ confidence in Singapore, and its ongoing commitment to the country’s tourism industry.

It involves extensive upgrading of all rooms and suites in Towers 1 and 2 of the hotel. Renovations will be completed in phases over this year and 2023.

Marina Bay Sands will introduce signature experiences across the 55^th floor of all three hotel towers, including a revamped executive club lounge, premium fine dining, and health and wellness offerings.

The reinvestment plans and project programme is the biggest since the integrated resort’s opening in 2010; in addition to the multibillion-dollar expansion announced in April 2019 that included: a state-of-the-art entertainment arena; an ultra-luxury hotel tower; and new modern MICE spaces.

Announcement of the reinvestment project comes as Marina Bay Sands enters its second decade of operations following its 10^th anniversary in 2020.

Since opening in 2010 at a development cost of USD5.6 billion, Marina Bay Sands has provided, significant benefits to Singapore’s tourism sector, with over 380 million visitors to the property, and has helped to attract more than 1,000 new MICE events into the country.

Known as the leading trade convention for the meetings and events industry in the Asia Pacific region, AIME has released new insights on the success of this year’s show and reported, a 20 percent increase from 2020.

New industry research on the show, has revealed that 95 per cent of exhibitors cited AIME 2022, as an important event for their business, with over 94 per cent stating they were impressed with their return on investment. Further to this, 95 per cent of delegates agree AIME is the place to make important business connections, namely due to its atmosphere rated at 83 percent and strong reputation 81 percent.

“It’s been two years since we’ve hosted an event of AIME’s calibre in the city, and with the support of the Victorian state government, this event was the first real opportunity to show the world that Melbourne is back in action, and ready for business,”  said Melbourne Convention Bureau’s chief executive officer Ms. Julia Swanson.

Next year, AIME will be celebrating its 30 years.  According to the organiser 98 percent of exhibitors, have expressed interest in attending AIME 2023 which, will be held at Meblourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from February 13 to 15.  For more information, please visit aime.com.au

The property is said to be the highest rated venue outside the United States, and the achievement comes after the integrated resort became the first venue to be awarded Gold in 2020

Among the sustainable efforts that contributed to the decision to certify the venue’s platinum rating are: a waste management plan that resulted in the property achieving a recycling rate of around 27 per cent in 2021 through treated food waste and e-waste;  the investments in energy saving initiatives, which have helped reduce energy consumption by 14.6 per cent in 2021 as compared to the 2019 baseline; by converting 98.5 per cent of its fleet of vehicles at the convention centre to electric; and a culture of sustainability amongst employees who collectively clocked over 60,000 sustainable actions.

Since the integrated resort opened in 2010, sustainability continues to underpin the property’s operations guided by its global sustainability strategy. Sands ECO360 which incorporates best practices, cutting-edge technologies, and methods to reduce overall environmental impact.

Sands Expo and Convention Centre for example, is Singapore’s only carbon-neutral MICE venue, a result of its energy efficiency measures and investment in local renewable energy certificates and carbon offsets. Event organisers can conduct meetings and conferences at the centre that are 100 per cent carbon neutral, which is at no additional cost.

Described as being between, a video show reel, and a choose-your-own- adventure book, this video tool integrates by engaging clickable options for BE professionals, to access both information on the capabilities of Melbourne  city,  and Victoria state, as business event destinations.

The video provides viewers with in-depth local knowledge that will help to host, plan, and attend a conference, as well as information on corporate incentive programs in and around Melbourne.

Melbourne Convention Bureau’s chief executive Ms. Julia Swanson explained that viewers get to make their own choices. Ready.Set.Melbourne she mentioned, hands over control to the viewer where, they are in the driver’s seat and can make their own choices in personalising the experience themselves, as they advance through the content.

The convention bureau has widely used video content with Ready.Set.Melbourne has taken the next step in developing an interactive event planning journey from start to finish.

MCB is experimenting with new ways to foster engagement of its services at the same time create an offering, that isn’t found anywhere else, like when it first introduced the Melbourne virtual site visit, where, users can explore Melbourne’s business events offerings, via a 360-degree first person immersive virtual reality experience.

The inaugural conference was the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga Looking Ahead Symposium and this, kick starts for the centre, a full roster of more than 100 events scheduled remainder of the year.

According to Te Pae Christchurch general manager Mr.Ross Steele, of the events planned at the centre for the rest of this year, more than 60 are conferences, including eight international events – combined will bring over 67,000 people into the central city, and generate an estimated of NZD 37.2 million in direct economic value.

Mr. Steele further added that: looking beyond the end of 2022 the centre, has a solid pipeline of business. In total through to October 2024,146 events are scheduled, which will bring close to 150,000 people into the city; and generate more than NZD 74 million in direct economic value. This includes 88 conferences out of which 23 of are international.

Scheduled events in 2022 of the centre include:

• Harcourts National Convention, May
• New Zealand Dance Awards, May
• Christchurch Art Show 2022, June
• MEETINGS 2022, June
• Roofing Association of New Zealand Conference, June
• Bookeepcon 2022, July
• House of the Year Awards, July
• Maia Health Foundation FEAST 2022, September
• Archipro – Meet, Greet & Eat 2022, September
• Armageddon Expo, December