COMPANIES looking to herald the Chinese Lunar Year of the Red Fire Monkey in the Malaysian capital city can consider a series of banquet packages offered by the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Available from January 25 to March 7, 2016, bookings of at least 100 pax can opt for an eight-course sit-down banquet at RM1,888++ (US$443) per table of 10 or RM188++ per person for parties with more than 300 guests.

Fu Lu Shou – which means Happiness, Prosperity and Longevity – buffet packages are available too.

Confirmed bookings made between now and December 31, 2015 will enjoy an eight per cent discount.

Executive chef, Richmond Lim, said event planners have four traditional yee sang options to choose from: Happy New Year is served with fresh salmon; Dual Happiness and Prosperity is served with jellyfish and salmon, Golden Symphony is served with fresh salmon, abalone and gold dust; Golden Year is served with fresh ocean trout.

BUSINESS event planners who take their activities to Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore next year can expect to reap greater rewards through the hotel’s new Enhanced Signature Benefits loyalty programme.

While the original Signature Events Benefits was launched at all Shangri-La hotels worldwide three years ago, Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore has created its own version that offers additional perks that grow with the number of guestrooms consumed. These perks include Wi-Fi, an hour-long open bar during dinner for groups, a dedicated two-man concierge team throughout the event, and one 44-seat bus at the group’s disposal for two days.

Christopher Kang, director of sales and marketing, expects bookings to increase once the programme is implemented in January 2016.

He explained that the improved loyalty rewards, along with the hotel’s latest hardware improvements, are among the hotel’s recent efforts to grow its MICE business.

The Tower Ballroom was upgraded following an S$8 million (US$5.7 million) renovation, while colonial-style The Pavilion was launched last year.
“The new facilities further elevate our positioning in the MICE space,” said Kang, adding that “few other hotels in Singapore own that space in the luxury MICE category while being able to support business groups that require 30 to 400 rooms”.

The hotel is also banking on its special events and hosting of power personalities such as Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, Chinese president Xi Jinping and Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou, to draw planners.

Kang revealed that the hotel’s hosting of the meeting between political leaders Xi and Ma on November 7 had resulted in “overwhelming interest” from Chinese and Taiwanese travellers who were eager to stay at the hotel, see the room where the meeting was held and taste the menu that was presented to the two heads of state.

“The Ma-Xi meeting has also raised interest among Chinese planners,” he remarked.

China is among the hotel’s top three source markets – the others being the US and the UK. To grow business from China, Kang’s team had this year collaborated with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on a number of marketing initiatives. In May it hosted a MICE fam for 35 top buyers from China-based MNCs with the tourism board, Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport Group.

Kang said the targeted growth from the top three markets is about seven per cent in 2016.