THE EURO’s depreciation is prompting longhaul buyers such as Agora Occasions US and Van der Vegte Travel Consultancy Netherlands to look at Asia as a possible venue for their conferences and incentives.
Both are at ITB Asia for the first time to test the waters and find possible destinations and venues for clients.
Agora Occasions’ programme manager-government and association contracts, Tisa Nava, said: “My clients usually organise conferences in Europe, but with today’s currency (depreciation), we are looking at possible destinations in the Far East.”
Nava demonstrated that with a US$100,000 budget, conference delegates could get five-star facilities and services such as hotels, tours and restaurants in Asia, which they are not able to enjoy anymore in Europe at current currency rates.
Nava however sees the challenge of getting clients to Asia due to long flight durations.
“You need to have at least two or three stops, and that is tiring and they need to go to a meeting the next morning with jetlag,” she said.
Nevertheless, this is not a dead end, according to Nava. She praises Asian destinations such as Thailand for being proactive in easing the shortcomings.
“Thailand, for example, assists with measures such as speeding up immigration and customs services. Once the delegates get to the hotel, keys are ready, a massage is even offered. This really helps.
“Americans love to be pampered.”
Van der Vegte Travel Consultancy, meanwhile, is handling pharmaceutical conferences and incentives, and is seeing growing interest in Asia among clients.
Managing director Tony van der Vegte said: “They are planning for 2013 programmes and I’m here to find out possible venues and programmes to present to them.”
– Read more in ITB Asia 2011 Official Daily – Day 1 issue
