AMWAY China has announced today that it will be taking its 10,000-delegate Amway China Leadership Seminar to Sydney in March 2017, making it the company’s third trip to the Australian city since 2005.

Associate director of special events of Amway China, Charming Cao, explained that Sydney was chosen to present a tempting reward for top performers.

Cao said in a press statement: “We aim to motivate our Amway China team to reach and exceed their sales targets, knowing that their reward will be an exciting trip to the always beautiful and thrilling city of Sydney. Our delegates will experience the modern, world-class facilities of the newly-opened ICC Sydney (International Convention Centre Sydney) and an exciting, appealing programme of activities.”

He added that his delegates had reported a 93 per cent satisfaction rating during their last visits to Sydney in 2005 and 2011.

“We look forward to inspiring and entertaining our delegates again in 2017,” he said.

Commenting on Business Events Sydney’s (BESydney) latest triumph in the incentive business, Destination New South Wales CEO Sandra Chipchase said her agency was delighted to have assisted BESydney in securing the event for New South Wales (NSW), and remarked that “China is the number one visitor market for NSW”.

“ICC Sydney will be Australia’s largest and most impressive events space, and securing the coveted Amway China Leadership Seminar for this state-of-the-art facility reinforces Sydney’s international reputation for hosting major events,” Chipchase added.

BESydney has done well in the incentive sector, delivering more than 45,000 Asian incentive delegates into NSW over the past three years and injecting A$213 million (US$155.6 million) into the economy.

“We’ve experienced a 20 per cent year-on-year growth in this sector in NSW over the past decade,” remarked Lyn Lewis-Smith, CEO of BESydney.

“Last year, 858,500 Chinese tourists arrived in Australia, spending more than A$5 billion, and many came to attend a business event or join an incentive programme.”

THE ASEAN Secretariat and TTG Events have joined hands to co-organise the first ASEAN MICE Forum on September 29, a half-day event aimed at showcasing the South-east Asian region’s MICE developments and capabilities.

Located within the annual Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia (IT&CM Asia), the forum will offer a mix of panel discussions and presentations. Highlights include A One-Stop MICE Wonderland: Multi-destination Programmes in ASEAN, a panel discussion on how multi-destination programmes can be put together in the region; Learning from Success: Case Studies, which will see industry players sharing mini case studies on their events in relatively “fresh” ASEAN destinations; and Discovering ASEAN: A Rising Star for International Exhibitions, which looks at the region’s current exhibition performance and its future.

The organisers are targeting a turnout of 50 delegates, of which a majority will be buyers, exhibitors and the media.

The ASEAN MICE Forum is open for free to all IT&CMA delegates. Industry members who are not registered for IT&CMA can access the forum for a fee of US$50.

By Samuel Ng

FIVE-STAR resort Indigo Pearl has introduced Green Season Meetings, a unique art-themed interpretation of business events that removes delegates from the boardroom and immerses them in lush tropical landscapes and settings.

Green Season Meetings gives delegates the chance to hold their meetings in an exclusive and tailored setting such as going barefooted in the “boardroom” and discussing business ideas with toes in the sand.

“It’s about leaving the business clothes at home and picking up a paint brush in a tropical paradise, which will appeal to many executives and MICE planners looking for a refreshing change of direction,” said Chris Oakes, general manager of Indigo Pearl.

Delegates are also offered interesting teambuilding exercises such as Thai boxing lessons, cooking competition and mixology classes.

The Green Season Meetings package is priced at 1,350 baht (US$38.69) net per day for the half-day package and 1,550 baht net per day for a full day, with a minimum of 15 pax.

Organisers who purchase the package are eligible for a special rate of 5,600 baht per night for a Premium Pearl Bed Suite, valid for group stays between now and October 31, 2015. The deal includes breakfast for two per room and single delegate package per room per day.