The Adelaide Convention Centre (background) was recently expanded

THE Australian Dental Congress, one of the largest business events in Australia, has chosen Adelaide for its next gathering in 2021.

Hosted by the Australian Dental Association, the congress is expected to welcome more than 3,000 participants from across Australia and around the world. It will add A$16 million (US$12 million) to South Australia’s visitor economy, provide over 15,000 bed nights and create 132 jobs.

Oscar van Elten, who represents the Australian Dental Organisation, commented: “Adelaide is the perfect sized Australian City that thinks outside the box for business events. I visited the city for the first time in quite a while early this year as part of Destination South Australia, and was surprised and highly impressed by the development the city has undergone. From the larger projects including the Adelaide Oval and Adelaide Convention Centre upgrades, to the 70-plus new small bars and restaurants adding a real vibe to the city’s laneways, we’re looking forward to an exceptional event”.

He noted that “a lack of suitable venues” in Adelaide had previously made it impossible for the city to accommodate the growing event since it last played host a decade ago.

However, the expansion of the Adelaide Convention Centre as well as the introduction of the Convention Bid Fund have changed things for the better.

Damien Kitto, CEO of the Adelaide Convention Bureau, said: “In such a highly competitive market (with many) destinations keen on hosting such meetings, this expansion (by the Adelaide Convention Centre) along with the entire Riverbank Development has certainly made us a much more attractive offering to event owners.”

AN ELEGANT multipurpose hall is about to join Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain’s offering to business event planners.

Set against a backdrop of the majestic mountains in Sichuan province with the resort’s one-hectare organic garden in the foreground, the spacious Qing You Hall can accommodate banquets of 300 guests or classroom meeting setup for 280 pax.

Designed for maximum flexibility, the pillar-free ballroom can be divided into three separate spaces, ideal for meetings and smaller gatherings or breakout areas. For larger and diverse events, planners can utilise a covered terrace and a lawn along with Qing You Hall. Vehicular access to all areas offers the potential for incentive or exhibitions to be held as integral elements of the primary affair.

Qing You Hall’s interior features beautifully crafted soft-hued timber finishes and paneling wrapped in rich earth tones with just a hint of delicate Chinese embellishments. Stunning lighting features descend from vaulted ceilings, augmented by recessed high-tech down lighting that can be programmed to create any mood desired.

A VIP anteroom is available for receiving dignitaries and special guests, while the hall itself is outfitted with state-of-the-art sound system, audiovisual capabilities and wireless Internet access.

Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain also supplies a dedicated team to provide event planners with support and service from the planning stages through to the event conclusion.

Manish Puri, general manager of Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain, said: “I know that our guests will love the venue for conferences, meetings and incentives, (as it gives) the opportunity for attendees to gather in the pure air of our location and the activities offered in this traditionally spiritual setting.”

Singapore’s Esplanade

SINGAPORE, Brussels and Seoul are the top three cities for international meetings in 2015, according to statistics collected by the Union of International Associations (UIA).

The report looked at 458,453 meetings held in 1,449 cities across the world and found Singapore most popular, having played host to 736 or 6.3 per cent of all international meetings in 2015.

In close second was Belgium’s capital city of Brussels. It was the chosen city for 665 meetings. Seoul, meanwhile, took the third position with 494 international meetings in its bag that same year.

Remarkably, the city-state of Singapore ranked fourth as a country, after the US in first place, South Korea in second and Belgium in third.

Paris, Vienna, Tokyo, Bangkok, Berlin, Barcelona and Geneva also won top 10 city placings on UIA’s list.

CENTARA Hotel & Convention Centre Khon Kaen has been rebranded under Minor Hotels’ Avani flag since July 1, 2016.

According to a statement, Avani Khon Kaen Hotel & Convention Centre is “uniquely positioned to meet the needs of business guests”, boasting 4,000m² of meeting space.

In addition to having 196 guestrooms across five room types, the property also features an outdoor pool, a fitness centre and a spa.

The property is a 15-minute drive from the Khon Kaen Airport and located close to a number of leisure attractions such as the Dino Park water park and a nearby shopping district.

With this rebranding, Minor Hotels will have 16 properties under the Avani brand in operation in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Seychelles, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia and the UAE, with a pipeline of further openings in Asia and the Middle East.