PENANG is likely to set up a state convention bureau by the end of 2014, but this is subject to the hiring of a consultant to start work in August on its structure and funding.

If all goes well, this will be almost two years since the Penang chief minister, Lim Guan Eng, mooted the idea in January 2013.

The convention bureau is to be known as Penang International Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PICEB).

Plans now hinge on getting the approval of the chief minister and the board of directors of Penang Global Tourism to hire a consultant who will be tasked with drawing up a structure and a sustainable funding model for the bureau to fund its team as well as marketing and promotions, and to support the travel trade in bidding for business events to Penang.

The state government will not provide financial assistance to the bureau but will support it by other means.

Ooi Geok Ling, managing director of Penang Global Tourism, said the delay in setting up the bureau was because the pro-tem committee, comprising local private players in the MICE industry, and the government could not agree on a sustainable funding model for PICEB.

“The hotel room levy in Penang will be taken under consideration for the funding structure of PICEB,” said Ooi.

The state government will be collecting RM2 (US$0.62) levy per room, per night on three star hotels and below, while a RM3 levy is charged on four-and five-star hotels (TTG Asia e-Daily, May 22, 2014).

SHANGRI-LA’S Boracay Resort & Spa has unveiled Sunglasses at Work Meet by Design, a destination meeting concept combining corporate meetings with social event experiences.

It is a set of customised ideas and set ups that transforms the usual boardroom sessions, team bonding activities, special events and other corporate requirements into a fun and memorable affair, explained director of events Melissa Santiago.

Examples of this include holding corporate meetings in a Treehouse Villa rather than in a meeting room, coffee breaks paired with a quick massage, arcade games at the Entertainment Centre, or beach golf, etc. Attendees can take up greener causes through coral reef planting or beach clean-ups.

General manager Amit Oberoi said Sunglasses at Work Meet by Design does not necessarily entail additional cost to corporate clients as the 12.5ha resort already has the activities, facilities and space for bleasure.

The resort is mainly a leisure destination with little MICE business but the new meeting concept would encourage more corporations to come to the island destination, as the experience cannot be replicated in a city setting.

Aris Delos Santos-Ote, director of sales and marketing, said the concept introduces corporate clients to try out a different take on meetings. “More is the new business. Why be traditional when you can mix and mingle,” she explained.

SINGEX Holdings has announced three additions to its management team in order to grow event management arm SingEx Exhibitions.

Germaine Lim has been named director in CEO’s office, SingEx Holdings. She is responsible for establishing and driving sales and sponsorship infrastructure for SingEx events.

Adrian Sng has joined SingEx Exhibitions as director (project management) and is tasked with overseeing project teams in industries including commodities, e-commerce logistics and IT. He brings with him more than a decade’s experience in the MICE industry.

Gwen Ng has taken up the post of deputy director (projects management) with SingEx Exhibitions. She was previously with UBM Asia, where she led the project management and marketing communications team.

DAEGU has bagged hosting rights for the 7th World Water Forum 2015 as part of efforts to position itself as a centre of the water industry of South Korea and is preparing a host of amenities to welcome visitors.

The World Water Forum is held once every three years by the World Water Council, and the 2015 edition is expected to draw some 35,000 visitors from 200 countries while generating 2,500 jobs and US$242.8 million.

Attendees can expect an enhanced Event Support Package by the Daegu Convention & Visitors Bureau including: an online accommodation booking system in English; a staffed Welcome Desk with sightseeing brochures; and an online tour programme booking system for reservations of pre- and post-show tours.

The 7th World Water Forum is the second one in Asia after it was held in Japan 11 years ago.

A press release from Daegu CVB stated that the city aims to “turn itself into a linchpin of the water industry by capitalising on the event to become the centre of the water industry of South Korea.

“The South Korean government has prioritised sustainable water management and sound water environment building in its national agenda with the goal to become a role model country in all areas of water management.”

SINGAPORE is sending more business travellers to Australia, according to statistics provided by Tourism Australia’s (TA) office in Singapore.

At the Business Events Australia South East Asia Showcase dinner organised in Singapore earlier this week with Chan Brothers MICE & Travel, TA’s general manager for South/South-east Asia & Gulf Countries, Karyn Kent, told TTGmice e-Weekly that overall business arrivals from the Lion City for 2013 increased two per cent as compared with 2012.

Out of total business arrivals, conference and meeting arrivals rose nine per cent.

Holiday purpose arrivals, which included incentives, FITs and leisure groups, rose significantly by 20 per cent year-on-year for the last 12 months up to March 2014, Kent added.

“Singapore is our fifth largest market in the world, while Malaysia ranks seventh and Indonesia, 12th. We are seeing a lot of potential for incentive business from these three markets,” she said.

Kent added that the strong performance of the Singapore market – incredible for its relative size – is a result of the increased number of flights by LCCs from the city as well as repeat visits.

Singaporeans are also “responding well” to the Australian food and wine campaign launched last July, she said, which now has an added focus through the Restaurant Australia campaign launched early this month (TTGmice e-Weekly, May 9, 2014).

Singapore-based Chan Brothers MICE & Travel’s account manager, Alvin Valencia, said: “About 80 per cent of our outbound MICE business pertain to incentive trips of 50 to 60 pax, mainly from the electronics, engineering and F&B industries.

“For trips to Australia, the Gold Coast and Perth are the most popular, although we have observed an increasing number of enquiries for Melbourne as well. Melbourne’s Phillip Island and Sovereign Hill are interesting incentive options for nature parks and hands-on gold-mining experience respectively.”

Meanwhile, Melbourne continues to draw business events, with the city’s convention venues already well booked out up to 2018, according to Edward Kwek, regional sales director South Asia of Melbourne Convention Bureau.

Medical conferences form the bulk of the major events, Kwek said, citing incentive and pre/post-meeting options like guided coffee tours, the newly relaunched ferris wheel Melbourne Star, sporting events like Formula One and the Melbourne Cup, as well as “the best pizza in the world”, among others.