A SERIES of six unique showcases in March and April held to present the renovated facilities within InterContinental Singapore has resulted in an uptick in enquiries from meeting planners, with two high-level ones already materialised.

The hotel’s area director of sales & marketing, Rex Loh, told TTGmice e-Weekly in an interview: “The renovated Presidential Suite was used to showcase the new features of the hotel and how we can support business events. When planners at the showcase saw how meetings can be done differently with us, especially in such a unique space as our Presidential Suite, they got excited.”

Loh said the two materialised events were held in the Presidential Suite, one for a private corporate party and the other for a meeting.

At 259m², InterContinental Singapore’s Presidential Suite is said to be the largest of its kind in the country. It is suitable for gatherings for 10 to 50 guests.

“Other refreshed aspects of the hotel, such as the renovated guestrooms, also gave us good exposure to new and potential corporate clients, and we found that many are keen to come and have a look. That helps to get the conversation going, and we have several new leads,” said Loh.

Loh added that the hotel is also playing up the rich heritage of the neighbourhood to attract corporate meetings and events.

“This area has so much to offer. Meeting groups can experience the neighbourhood through our Guided Heritage Trail. Clients used to think that the hotel is too far from the city centre, too inconvenient, but the arts and cultural draws around us are changing perceptions,” he said, adding that event bookings this year are “good” and “maintaining 2014 levels”.

The Guided Heritage Trail is a two-hour walking tour around the arts and cultural districts of Waterloo Street and Albert Street, calling at the National Design Centre and The Church of Saints Peter and Paul. While the tour is offered only on Saturdays for hotel guests, the hotel can arrange private group tours for meeting delegates.

THE annual Top Agent Awards by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has been given a new spin with a new name and an expanded recipient category.

South Korean players are now eligible for recognition in the Top MICE Agent Awards, joining existing markets India, China and Indonesia. Three top performing South Korean MICE agents will be awarded in each of two categories: Top Number of Passengers and Top Number of Groups.

A HKTB spokesman said South Korea has been included this year because of its strong growth potential.

“South Korea recorded over 20 per cent growth in overnight MICE arrivals last year. Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong will foster a closer relationship with top MICE agencies (in the market) to bring more meetings and incentives into Hong Kong,” the spokesperson said.

HKTB, through its office in Seoul, will also be deploying more marketing initiatives and organise more trade seminars, workshops and fam trips in 2016.

HKTB will be focused on growing meetings and incentives traffic from shorthaul markets, including South Korea, China, India and Indonesia, with particular attention being paid to select industry sectors such as direct selling, finance and insurance, information technology, manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors, according to the spokesperson.

REFRESHED function rooms at New World Millennium Hotel in Hong Kong will greet meeting planners come August, as the hotel continues with its refurbishment project following its rebranding from Hotel Nikko Hong Kong.

To date, the hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui East has unveiled an updated hotel lobby in January and 88 renovated guestrooms in March. The guestrooms, which span five room types, now offer enhanced comfort and modern amenities including a complimentary handy smartphone which affords guests unlimited local and international calls to seven select countries, and unlimited 3G mobile Internet access.

While details of the upgraded function rooms are still under wraps, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing, Francesco Wong, said the décor would be modern and the venues would offer flexible configurations.

Wong added that meeting packages would be reviewed after renovations are complete, and prices would be competitive.

Meanwhile, work on the Lobby Lounge is slated to be completed next month.

“With our new products, we remain positive (about) our business. Despite the uncertain market situation, we have been versatile and highly responsive in our sales and marketing strategies so as to achieve our business goals,” he said.