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This year, the organiser of Hong Kong International Travel Expo and MICE Business & Travel Expo (ITE & MICE), TKS Exhibition Services Ltd has partnered with Hong Kong Wedding Management Association on the theme of Honeymooning and Overseas Wedding (HOW). It was first launched in last year’s exhibition which was found to be popular among visitors.

Based on the HOW theme, there were will be information stand, trade and public seminars, as well as related activities such as auctions and lucky draw, with many of the trade seminars co-hosted by Hong Kong Wedding Management Association. HKWMA will extend invitation to travel agents from China that specialises on honeymoon and overseas to attend the ITE show.

Said K S Tong, managing director of TKS, “We warmly welcome the co-operation with HKWMA, whose extensive knowledge and contacts in the wedding industry will contribute significantly to the success and further development of HOW, and we look forward to a long term relation with the Association.”

Through the wedding association alone, it was registered that around 55,000 wedding couples in Hong Kong and 10 million weddings in mainland China have contributed to the spending of about HK$16 billion and RMB100 billion respectively to the economy. Also, in a public survey conducted found that each wedding couple from Hong Kong spend on an average in 2011, HK$34,000 on honeymooning, which was up 18 percent over the year before. Here exists huge business opportunity, as couples are spending more on wedding.

The newly constructed Golden Kawanua Exhibition Hall, venue for ATF 2012 TRAVEX, is geared up to welcome over 1,400 TRAVEX delegates to Manado from January 9 to 15.

Pre-TRAVEX registration statistics indicate that close to 1,000 exhibitors, 390 buyers and more than 100 media delegates will fill the exhibition venue during the event. Representing quality travel trade and tourism organisations from across the world, these delegates will avail of business, learning and networking opportunities over the three action-packed days of ATF TRAVEX from 13 to 15 January.

The exhibitor delegation will feature some 438 booths represented by 390 companies and properties across the 10 ASEAN countries. Host country Indonesia and Thailand form the two largest national contingents with 112 and 92 exhibition booths respectively. Corporate exhibitors are also participating in a big way with some 65 exhibition booths.

Destination ASEAN’s growing reach and popularity is evidenced by buyer participation from four new countries this year; Bulgaria, Egypt, Kuwait and New Zealand. Asia-Pacific strongly displays its purchasing power, with 48% of buyers hailing from the region. This is followed by 37.6% of the buyers representing Europe.

The event continues to draw the attention of international media as well. This year, media from 36 countries across the globe including first-time participants Bahrain and Indonesia, will cover ATF 2012, thus strengthening the event’s reputation as the best platform for ASEAN exhibitors to showcase their products and services.

The learning component of the event, ASEAN Tourism Conference (ATC), continues to stay relevant to the industry with this year’s theme, ‘ASEAN Goes Green’. To be held on January 13 from 0900 to 1200hrs, featuring respected speakers from the industry such as Taleb D. Rifai, Secretary General of UNWTO, Martin Craigs, chief executive officer of PATA, Tatsuro Nakamura, senior executive director of the Board of JATA and Jim Boyles, general manager of Melia, Bali.

All ATF TRAVEX delegates can also look forward to a comprehensive array of networking and leisure activities, beginning with the complimentary city tours and friendly golf game on 12th January before official TRAVEX days begin. Hosted lunches, dinners and late night events will commence from 12th January onwards.

For more information and programme updates on ATF 2012 visit www.atfindonesia.com

Little India@Brickfields which is located on the west side of the Brickfields township is a new development initiative undertaken by Malaysia’s Ministry of Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing and Kuala Lumpur City Hall. It is a vibrant commercial centre along Jalan Tun Sambanthan, which is predominantly Indian in character.

The historical relationship of Brickfields to the development of modern Kuala Lumpur, stretches back to over 100 years, when the first brick buildings and shop houses in the old town centre were constructed with bricks which came from the clay pits and kilns set up in this area.

Recently the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Seri Ahmad Fuad Ismail launched a map on Little India@Brickfieds as a guide for tourists to discover the architecture, cultural heritage, sights and sounds of the township. At the same time, Kuala Lumpur City Hall is also offering free walking tour for tourists to learn about the history, communities and trade found here. It will be conducted by qualified tourist guides and will take about two and half hours beginning from the YMCA on Jalan Tun Sambanthan and ending at Little India@Brickfields. The walking tour starts at 8.00 a.m. and available every first and third Saturday of every month.

KLCC the flagship of Malaysia’s convention centre organised its annual appreciation night attended by corporate clients, organisers of events, conferences, meetings and exhibitions, incentive and destination managers and the media. The night was an opportunity for the management of the Kuala lumpur Convention Centre to say thank you to its supporters who had contributed to the success of the centre.

In a survey conducted after the 2007 Moscow International MICE Forum, MICE business in Russia is set to increase by 200 per cent this year. The busiest time is from Aprilto October with 68 per cent of events taking place within this period. The peak month is in February.

The largest sector of the industry is conferences with more than 29 per cent, incentive tours 16 per cent and seminars
abroad 11 per cent. The MICE market in Russia is expanding fast and the survey indicated a growing interest amongst Russian business of arranging meetings abroad and attending international conferences.

This year, the Moscow International MICE Forum will be held on March 18 at the T Modul Exhibition Centre in Moscow. Specialists looking for MICE business in Russia can expect to meet selected Russian corporate buyers, leading Russian MICE specialists, travel companies specialising in corporate and business travel and several business leaders.

The Forum today has established itself as a leading MICE event in Russia with interests from all over the world. The popularity of this event has grown over the years and this marks its fourth year. It has created a unique environment where there is opportunity for new businesses, contracts and the chance to interact with some high level professionals
in the conventions and exhibition industry in Russia.

It is expected that besides participants from Russian speaking countries, buyers and suppliers from Western Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia will also attend the one day event.

Rasa Sayang is Shangri-La’s first property in Malaysia to incorporate among its facilities and services, Chi The Spa which was developed as part of the of the Shangri-La brand. Chi The Spa at Shangri-La in Penang was inspired by the ancient healing therapies from the Himalayas. The resort has several private spa villas complete with bathing and herbal steam facilities. There is also a yoga pavillion overlooking water pond sand gardens, a swimming pool and treatment villas, each with its own gardens and facilities.

The extensive and meticulous remodeling of the resort included the complete renovation of its meetings and conference rooms. Today, the resort can easily accommodate a banquet of 300 people in its Pelangi Ballroom with 14 other meeting and functions rooms interlinked to the ballroom and one another. All conference and functions rooms feature state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment, including satellite teleconferencing facilities, wired and wireless broadband internet, electronic projectors, simultaneous microphone and PA systems, remote control screens and built-in sound systems.

Within the property, there are three swimming pools, a par-3 executive golf course and floodlit tennis courts. There is also a water sports centre offering a number of activities like water skiing, jet skiing, kayaking, windsurfing and deep-sea fishing. Indoors, the health club has a full range of state-of-the-art equipment, a hydro-pool, sauna and steam room, as well as daily morning tai chi classes.

There are several international flights that connect directly to the international airport of Penang. The island of Penang is joined to the mainland by the Penang Bridge which is one of the world’s longest bridges. Alternatively, a ferry service from the mainland takes 20 minutes to ride across.

The Indonesia Congress & Convention Association (INNCA) Bali Chapter was inaugurated on September 10 by the Governor of Bali, Dewa Beratha. Mice in Asia’s managing editor, Julia Douglas witnessed the ceremony held at the Government House in Denpasar. The magazine was also the co-sponsor for the Bali Education Day for Event Professionals organised by INCCA Bali at the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa from September 11 to 12.

One of Asia’s Leading International Trade Fairs

The marketing team of Mice in Asia was in Hong Kong for the ITE MICE & ITE 2007. The ITE was supported by China National Tourism Administration, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong and Macau Governtion Tourist Office.

Pavillions at the ITE MICE & ITE in the Hong Kong Convention Centre.

Mice in Asia was distributed to exhibitors and trade visitors at the Thailand Travel Mart 2007. It was held from June 8 until June 10 at the IMPACT Exhibition Center in Bangkok.

The event involved 315 sellers from Thailand and other countries which included 224 hotels, five airlines, eight eco-tourism and adventure operators, 18 medical and health tourism facilites, 29 tour operators and 31 companies from the Greater Mekong Sub-Region.

Mrs Julia Douglas, managing editor of Mice in Asia with Mr Thanawat Sittitampichai, managing director of Rainbow Arokaya at Thailand Travel Mart (TTM) 2007.