2021

Mr. Bill Gates the founder of Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist visited Expo 2020 Dubai, and toured key projects of Expo Live, the global innovation and partnership programme that supports innovators who develop extraordinary low-cost solutions.

Mr. Bill Gates accompanied by Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai tour Expo Live Pavilion.

During the 20 minutes he spent looking at projects at the Expo Live Pavilion showed keen interest in Ideabatic, a low-cost innovation developed by Ms. Kitty Liao of the UK, keeping vaccines and life-saving medicines fresh during long journeys to remote rural areas. The smart last-mile vaccine and cooling system is basically a low-cost battery-powered carrier designed to eliminate vaccine wastage. It is portable and light, and can be carried by health workers, drones and other delivery mechanisms.  The simple design of the Ideabatic requires almost no training to operate, and thus saves money on in-field deployment.

The former Microsoft chairman was also impressed by Desert Control, a new technology developed by Atle Idland of Norway, to help create an agricultural revolution for arid regions. The invention uses Liquid NonoClay, a technology that converts poor soil into fertile land and works more quickly, uses less water than conventional agricultural methods.

Mr. Gates also toured the Sustainability Pavilion, which highlights technologies that consume zero energy. Speaking to Expo TV, Gates urged the world to speed up the implementation of its commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, with the deadline just eight years away.

He also said that the world was going through a difficult stage in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the success achieved, and called for more efforts for a fair distribution of vaccines.

In the annual report released by Melbourne Convention Bureau, it stated that 40 business events worth AUD150 million have been secured – adding to its strong pipeline of future events for the bureau. This pipeline now boasts 118 business events for 2022 to 2028 that will attract 133,495 delegates, filling 387,372 hotel room nights across the city, and set to inject AUD804 million into Victoria’s visitor economy.

This will result in over 65,800 room nights secured, enough to fill the city  three times over. Melbourne Convention Bureau has reordered that from 2020 to 2021, more than 1,800 jobs were created from business events.

Speaking at the company’s Annual General Meeting, Melbourne Convention Bureau chief executive Ms. Julia Swanson reflected on the challenges created by the pandemic, and how the bureau’s purpose has never been more relevant than over the past year.

“Driving economic and social progress for Victoria by securing and delivering world class business events has provided, MCB with a strong sense of direction in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. Against this backdrop, we have delivered a sound result, strengthening Melbourne’s position as a global leader in business events and reinforcing Victoria’s reputation as Australia’s event capital.”

Ms. Swanson added: “Our strategy has been the right one to guide the organisation in laying the foundation for a bright future for business events in our state, from enhancing our profile and business opportunities across both international and domestic markets, engaging stakeholders, and an ambition to provide a leading digital experience for professional event organisers and event planners globally.”

Melbourne Convention Bureau has also successfully launched a national business events program, the first of its kind for Victoria – designed to aid the immediate restart of the business events sector.

The funding program provided business event organisers with a significant cash injection to support costs for the hosting of their events in Melbourne. The events approved are at the close of the financial year, and are to be held in 2022, they are expected to deliver AUD102 million in economic contribution to the state.

Western Australia’s official convention bureau, Business Events Perth announced, it has successfully won bids  for 67 national and international business events, set to take place in Western Australia from 2022 to 2024 – injecting direct expenditure of AUD54 million into the state’s economy – in addition to 190 local business events supported in 2021.

Business Events Perth chief executive officer, Mr. Gareth Martin stated that; the 67 national and international events secured this year, were critical to securing the path to recovery for Western Australia’s business events industry, however this was not the organisation’s only strategy at play throughout the ongoing impact of the pandemic.

The convention bureau implemented a content development strategy, to enhance its capabilities in marketing Western Australia as a business event destination through digital channels.

It included a 3D venue tours, new website and interactive business event planner, as well as a member content creation program, which has funded the creation of new marketing assets by member venues and suppliers.

At the same time, Business Events Perth introduced a member professional development program which supports members to send their staff to conferences or training events in professional development.

“We’ve provided tangible support for the recovery of Western Australia’s business events industry, and I’m proud to say that in the 2020-21 financial year, Business Events Perth supported 190 local business events that have brought more than 82,000 delegates together across the state, thus ensuring our venues and suppliers had a steady stream of bookings generating much needed revenue to keep their doors open, while we wait for the stable return of national and international events,” said Mr. Martin.

Business events in Sarawak, is preparing for international corporate meetings and corporate incentives initiatives with the launch of a brand new team building product, with the resumption of domestic business events in the state. Under Sarawak’s Tribe Legacy Sarawak campaign, the state’s business events industry plans to embrace digital technology to promote destination sustainability and team building activities.

The new teambuilding product  known as Tribespirit Teambuilding is a treasure-hunt inspired adventure which had, its first trial run over the weekend with 40 participants from Sarawak’s business events and tourism industries testing their team leadership skills through, a series of physical challenges throughout Kuching city and, trivia quizzes on Sarawak’s culture, adventure, nature, food and festivals.

A selling point of the teambuilding programme is the use of Go Team mobile application to manage and monitor on-ground activities remotely. Updates, feedback, and scores are kept in real-time to give the programme a more tailored experience

“We are constantly analysing and testing out angles to develop high engagement, motivational programmes that incorporate technology to elevate the experience. The trial run was successful and this initiative will also be developed for other business events cities such as Sibu and Miri in the future.” said Ms. Amelia Roziman, BESarawak’s chief executive officer.

Expo 2020 Dubai has recorded 2,942,388 visits since its grand opening on October 1. The visitor numbers included over 100,000 schoolchildren, with the Expo set to further stimulate young minds during the forthcoming Knowledge and Learning Week from December 12 to 18.

In the past week, Expo 2020 Dubai marked UAE Flag Day, which saw His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai raising the national flag. Also a celebration of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Honour Day hosted Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen, OIC Secretary General; and the Expo 2020 National Days of Antigua and Barbuda, Indonesia, Colombia, and the Netherlands, which included a visit from Dutch royalty His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima.

Among the big-name guests gracing the Expo stage is Riverdance, the world-famous Irish dance sensation which will run throughout the month of November.

Monaco celebrated its national day with a performance by a 26-member band at the Jubilee Stage, with the Principality’s head of state, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II in attendance. The band was primarily made up, of brass and wind instruments, with trumpets, trombones and saxophones at its core. 

The Expo’s Diwali celebrations featured an entertainment line-up, with the Hindu festival celebrated by acts such as India’s Salim and Sulaiman Merchant, and Bollywood playback singer Vipul Mehta. Late Nights @ Expo also hosted a series of music events to commemorate the festival of lights, including a special showcase from Indian rapper Badshah.

Visitors thronged a temporary circuit at Expo 2020 as the world’s best cyclists, contested Giro d’Italia Criterium – the first ever official sporting event to be staged at a World Expo. In Finish, cyclist Slovakia’s Peter Sagan pipped Colombia’s Egan Bernal to first place.

Urban and Rural Development Week was launched on World Cities Day on October 31 and concluded on November 6, with more than 120 of Expo 2020’s permanent buildings have been Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified. The week included, a special Women’s World Majlis reimagning, what cities and villages, would look like had they been designed by women, and the launch of the Last Mile Delivery Roadmap, a blueprint for making informal settlements safe and sustainable.

During the coming month, there will be the launch of the Explore Expo 2020 Dubai, Explore the World special raffle to win one million Emirates Skywards miles, and a host of other prizes rewarding those who visit as many Country Pavilions as possible.

The number of virtual visits bringing Expo 2020 Dubai to a global digital audience has amounted to 14.8 million since October 1.

Expo 2020 Dubai runs until March 31, 2022.

Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre has been declared as a safe business event venue under the SafeBE certification following – a stringent inspection and audit by Bureau Veritas – a globally recognised certification body. The certification falls under its public buildings Inspection category based on convention centre certification guideline.

The audit process takes into account standard operating procedures in relation to covid-10 preparedness and safety measures.

“We have a comprehensive health and safety guide that governs all aspects of operations. Clients and partners who host an event at MITEC are briefed on our covid-19 safety policies and standards,” said Ms. Mala Dorasamy, the acting chief executive officer.

While Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture recognises the SafeBE certification, as part of a collaboration between the public and private sector, which comes under the Travel Safe Alliance cooperation consisting of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents, Malaysia Association of Hotel, Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers and Malaysia Airlines Group.

Sarawak government has announced its support of convention legacies, as part of the master plan for the state’s Post Covid Development Strategy 2030. The Business Events Sarawak Legacy, or BESLegacy as its known, is an initiative where business events planners can design their convention activities to align with the outcome of the legacy sought after.

The announcement was made during the virtual industry session themed ‘The Rising Impact of Business Events – TRIBE’ hosted by BESarawak in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Sarawak, and  the International Congress & Convention Association.

BESLegacy Initiative is a joint effort between the Sarawak Government and the business events industry. The Initiative has identified five core areas in which legacies can take place on a sectoral level, economic and environmental impact, as well as on the community’s social and political aspect.

According to the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Dr. Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari, Sarawak is placing top priority on designing conventions as economic and social change makers. The legacy impact which is commonly known as convention legacies, was included in the Sarawak government’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 to recalibrate the destination’s economic, social and environmental development. Business events and legacy impact are officially marked as an aid to achieving the government’s objectives.

BESarawak’s chief executive officer, Ms. Amelia Roziman mentioned that the Sarawak government’s commitment will lead to the acceptance and long term development of legacy impact, as an equal to economic impact.

A new artwork by New Zealand’s multi-media and installation artist Lonnie Hutchinson, Hana will be placed in the foyer of Te Pae Christchurch, ahead of the convention centre’s opening later this year.

The three koru-shaped chandelier-like installations, are made of 11,000 glass and acrylic beads, and have a combined weight of just over one ton.

“Hana means to illuminate or brighten,” says Lonnie Hutchinson. “The work has been inspired by the Ngāi Tahu creation story and the concept of Ahikā or keeping the home fires burning. These illuminated yellow and red beads will combine to draw people into Te Pae Christchurch and help them feel welcome.”

“Each koru is made up of 109 individual strands, some as long as four metres. So, it has taken an army to thread them onto the wires. I’m so grateful to volunteers from the Christchurch Art Gallery who were able to lend a hand and a critical eye to the project.”

Te Pae Christchurch is being delivered by Ōtākaro Limited on behalf of the Crown.

Ōtākaro’s chief executive, Mr. John Bridgman affirmed that the Te Pae Christchurch is close to completion and is going to be an iconic building for the city.  He further mentioned, the Hana artwork effectively located in the front window is a spectacular sight both day and night for the convention centre.

The opening of the convention centre is scheduled for December, and the venue will begin hosting its first events leading up to Christmas.

After six months of hibernation since April 2021 due to COVID restrictions, Thailand’s biggest exhibition and convention centre, IMPACT is seeing the return of face-to-face events.

This is In line with Thailand opening its doors to fully vaccinated international travellers from over 63 countries with effect from November 1 this year; Thailand’s face-to-face event sector, is now seeing a gradual return of activities driven by the return of the staging of domestic events.

To date, it has been confirmed that 49 events will physically take place at IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre between November and December this year – 12 of which are trade and consumer exhibitions organised by the government, private sector, and trade associations – serving markets such as; science and technology, Smart SMEs, baby products, automotive, finance and food and beverage.

In addition to exhibitions, over 14 business meeting and training seminar events are also booked during this period, reflecting the pent-up demands for face-to-face knowledge and networking exchanges.

Over the next two months, the venue will also host 13 wedding events now that restrictions for such events have been relaxed. Other types of events taking place will include public examinations, sporting, and competition events.

The return of face-to-face events to IMPACT is timely as it celebrates its 23rd anniversary of operations this year. Over the years, the venue has established itself as one of the biggest and most modern exhibition and convention venues in Thailand and Southeast Asia, with over 140,000 square metres of indoor space, 100,000 square metres of outdoor space and two on-site hotels with over 967 rooms.

Mr. Loy Joon How, the general manager stated that IMPACT looks forward to a return in normalcy, and hopes to establish the pre-COVID situation of hosting over 800 events and welcoming over 10 million attendees annually.

In terms of accessibility to the venue, it will further be made easier to reach the exhibition and convention centre, with two mass rapid transit train stations under construction at the venue, which will be operational by end of 2024.

The tribute was made at ICCA’s 60^th Best Marketing Award event, a signature ceremony of the international body that recognises, the excellence and accomplishments of destinations around the world in their effort to market their products and services.

Ms Amelia Roziman, chief executive officer of BESarawak said that the award is a reflection of the stakeholder’s commitment to elevate the industry’s market presence and standards of excellence in Sarawak.

Sarawak on the other hand, has demonstrated true marketing flair with its advocacy marketing plan ‘Sarawak 2030’, where the local business events industry through Business Events Sarawak collaborated with the government sector, in identifying the economic and non-economic returns of business events as part of the government’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030.

While the marketing through transformation theme adopted by ICCA at this year’s event reflects on the marketing challenges faced by destinations during the pandemic and how, the industry innovate and remain resilient during the covid-19 outbreak.

The award is the second time Sarawak is recognised for its achievements, in 2008 Sarawak won the coveted ICCA Best Marketing Award.