SUSTAINABLE practices can help retain staff and lead to collective savings, and while they may be tricky to implement, these challenges can be overcome, said panellists at the recent Singapore MICE Forum.

Speaking at a panel discussion during the event, Kevin Teng, executive director, sustainability, Marina Bay Sands, said sustainability is a way to drive staff engagement.

While there is a degree of sustainability awareness among staff in the group’s properties, there is a gap between sustainability awareness and action, he said.

To this, Guy Bigwood, group sustainability director with MCI, suggested that sales and marketing and project team members should also take ownership of sustainability efforts, not just sustainability team members.

“Motivating sustainable action is deeply psychological. A simple example is the ‘subtle’ wording for the towel change message in a hotel room,” he told TTGmice e-Weekly.

“It may not be as compelling if you tell the guest how many people in the hotel did not change their towel, compared to saying how many on this floor, or how many in this room,” he added.

Moreover, general manager of Experia Events Lloyd Tan noted, “Acting sustainable is a significant leap and many companies are reluctant because of the ‘complexity’ (of steps needed for certification).”

To tackle this, companies can start by creating focused guidelines and choosing an area or an event to implement sustainability, while ensuring there is standardisation, panellists said.

Regarding the cost question, panellists agreed that although sustainable practices can be more expensive, there can be “collective” savings.

“Technology is changing, and solar panels are now 70 to 80 per cent cheaper and 40 per cent more efficient. If companies work more strategically, it won’t cost more,” said Bigwood. “For example, organic food may cost about 30 per cent more, but if there is better food waste control, the numbers can even out,” he added.

Furthermore, companies should take baby steps and be focused in their sustainability efforts, and all efforts should be “data driven”, advised panellists.

A SURGE in demand for Australia as an event destination among Singapore corporates is expected, as the Australian dollar softens against the Singapore currency.

Several local travel agencies that specialise in business events have indicated a likelihood of an uptick in bookings and enquiries for destinations Down Under, with one company already observing an increase.

Fascinating Holidays’ managing director, David Teo, told TTGmice e-Weekly that corporate enquiries on Australia have gone up by 15 per cent.

While changes in bookings for Australia have not surfaced for Simon Er, general manager of business events, DMC & tours, Global Travel, he believes that “the demand for Australia will increase over the next few months as the destination becomes more affordable and the value obtained is greater”.

Er noted that most corporate clients plan their trips six to 12 months in advance.

For business events that have already been confirmed in Australia, the stronger buying power has led to some clients adding extra activities to “offer more value to (delegates)”, said Teo.

Chan Brothers Travel’s spokesperson, Rebecca Chia, whose company has upcoming corporate programmes in Perth, remarked that dining and entertainment expenditure “at the destination may increase due to the attractive exchange rates”.

None of the event specialists expect extensions to length of stay and upgrades on hotels options and venues, as arrangements and bookings have already been made.

However Er said clients might offer their delegates turndown gifts or a local souvenir in view of “cost savings from the exchange rate”.

By Samuel Ng

MADRID Fusion Manila will return to the Philippine capital city in 2016 after a successful run in April, with organisers keen on bringing the prestigious culinary event to other Asian destinations too.

The inaugural Madrid Fusion Manila in April “went beyond our expectations when it came to attendees, participation of chefs and media coverage both in the Philippines and abroad,” explained Domingo Ramon Enerio III, COO of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB).

TTGmice e-Weekly understands that the Philippine Department of Tourism has the exclusive right to the trade name Madrid Fusion Manila for five years, but there are plans to bring the event to other Asian countries in the coming years.

“We can do Singapore or Malaysia,” said Inigo Canedo, managing director of one of the event’s organisers, Madrid-based Arum Estrategias Internacionalizacion SL.

Canedo, who is pleased with the “very good organisation” of Madrid Fusion Manila, said the organisers want to make the event “the most important trade fair in the Philippines” while being open to expanding it to other parts of Asia.
The next Madrid Fusion Manila, scheduled on April 7-9, 2016, is being planned to be even bigger with fewer Spanish chefs and more Asian ones.

Chefs who have confirmed their participation next year include Joan Roca of three-Michelin star El Celler de Can Roca, S. Pellegrino’s world’s best restaurant for 2015; Eneko Atxa of two-Michelin star Azurmendi Restaurant in Basque; and Yoshihiro Narisawa whose three-Michelin star Les Creations de Narisawa in Tokyo was recently ranked as Asia’s 8th best restaurant.

THE NEW Langkawi International Convention Centre (LICC) has secured 10 regional conferences in its first year of operations as well as played host to high profile events such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting in March and the ASEAN Leaders Summit in April, since its opening on March 1.

LICC features pillarless function rooms that are equipped with high-end audiovisual facilities such as Bose sound systems, and offers plenty of natural daylight at its foyer areas. The grand ballroom has a capacity for 1,000 people in a banquet setting and can be partitioned into three smaller spaces. Seven meeting rooms ranging from 21m² to 1660m²in size make LICC ideal for international conferences, product launches and fashion shows.

Events with overseas participants are well supported by a variety of accommodation options close by. LICC sits adjacent to The Westin Langkawi and is also managed by the hotel. Hotels located a short drive away include St Regis Langkawi which is slated to open in November, Bayview Hotel Langkawi, Adya Hotel Langkawi and Dayang Bay Serviced Apartment & Resort Langkawi.

Ganneesh Ramaa, manager of Luxury Tours Malaysia, said: “Meeting delegates will have plenty of accommodation options. LICC will also complement Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre and put Langkawi on the map as a MICE destination.”

Saini Vermeulen, executive director of Within Earth Holidays, believes that LICC’s record of hosting high profile events will “make it easier for us to market Langkawi” to corporate clients and conference organisers.

“The fact that the new LICC, with its state-of-the-art facilities, has handled high profile events will give confidence to meeting planners and MICE organisers that Langkawi is (capable). Planners interested in holding an event in Malaysia now has another option,” Vermeulen commented.

He added: “Also, Langkawi has the required tourism infrastructure such as attractions and restaurants to support the leisure components of a convention programme.”