MARKET DYNAMIC, BUT ‘CHALLENGES’ With more than half the world’sGDP, Asia is seen as the most dynamic area in the world today by ICCA (International Convention Centre Association) Asia Pacific chairman Martin Winter. “With a growing economy comes political leverage,” he said in his
opening remarks at the 20th IT&CMA trade show in Bangkok. “There are three issues to be addressed... competition (supplymay
grow faster than demand), a conservative mindset (it is challenging to introduce innovation into the meetings industry), and there needs to be two-way communication. Asia needs to find way to join in this style of thinking.” Managing director Darren Ng of TTG Media (Singapore),
which organises the show and other exhibitions throughout Asia, says corporates are an important segment of the MICE buying industry. “Knowing the hottest destinations, venues and service suppliers
certainly helps PAs plan their company’s next conference, meeting, incentive or even travel program.” Bangkok’s show also focuses on corporate travel and last year added
a luxury travel component. In October, the next show will introduce a Thailand tour for the luxury segment buyers. Vietnam also has an exhibition, the International Travel Expo, Ho
Chi Minh City, which while mainly focusing on leisure tourism is trying to grow its business events segment. Marketing manager Theodora Soh says MICE buyers do attend
the show, and 74 per cent of Vietnam’s visitors in 2011 were MICE tourists with a “strong increase” last year.
ACTIVELY COURTING ASIA Meetings is firmly established as New Zealand’s annual show,which this year had hosted buyers from across Asia. WhileNewZealand looks across the Tasman Sea
to its Australian neighbours as its main source of business, the government has allocatedmore budget to spend on encouraging incentive groups from China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and the US. Recognising that having people on the ground
is critical in this space, it has two new staff members in China and one in Singapore.
GOING INTERNATIONAL EAs and PAs from Australia will travel as fully hosted buyers to the CIBTM trade show in Beijing in September – the first international show attended by Executive PA Magazine Australia readers. Beijing has set up a $3 million fund to encourage more interna-
tional conventions,with the business events and related service sector defined by the government as “pillars” of a new economic policy over the next three years. CIBTMlast year had more of domestic drive, with hosted corporate
buyers being recruited fromChina’s second- and third-tier cities. This resulted in a 15 per cent rise in the number of hosted buyers as well as pre-scheduled appointments. E
AUGUST/OCTOBER 2013 |
WWW.EXECUTIVEPA.ASIA
43
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56