THE DATAI Langkawi, a resort surrounded by a rainforest and secluded beach and renowned for its residential monkeys, has introduced a new package that brings the fun of nature into meeting programmes.

Priced at RM988+ (US$319) per person on a twin-share basis, the Monkey Business Package includes a two-night stay in a deluxe room, full-day use of a meeting room with LCD projector and complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access, daily breakfast, one lunch, one morning and afternoon tea break, as well as a kite-flying session on Datai Beach and a nature walk with the resident naturalist.

Event planners can pay an extra RM588+ for single occupancy per room.

This offer is valid for a minimum booking of eight rooms, and for stays by December 19 this year.

Contact salesdatailangkawi@dataihotels.com for more details.

LUXURY cruise company, Silversea, has launched a series of foreign language resources for corporate and incentive travel planners.

The highlight of the new resources is a 34-page e-brochure that comes in English, Mandarin, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese and Russian languages. Other tools include proposals, contracts and an e-newsletter, Executive Connection, which is now available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Corporate and incentive rates are also reflected in euro, US dollar, British pound and Australian dollar.

Steve Odell, Silversea president for Europe and Asia-Pacific, said: “These new tools, combined with Silversea’s team of corporate and incentive professionals in North America, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Europe and the UK, will help to create a meaningful dialogue with our valued partners around the globe.”

ECONOMIC woes have hurt corporate teambuilding business at Singapore’s Forest Adventure, a tree-top course that has been popular with corporate and school groups.

“Our corporate teambuilding business has gone down this year, a result of the poor economy. Some clients have chosen to stop holding teambuilding programmes altogether, while others have slashed their event budgets. We have had clients who come to us with only S$30 (US$24) per head for teambuilding activities,” said Manjit Singh, sales manager of Forest Adventure.

He added: “This month is especially quiet for us because of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival. Some clients are superstitious and prefer to avoid adventure-type activities during the Hungry Ghost Festival.”

While the obstacle-based attraction usually offers corporate packages from S$68 per person, the company intends to entice budget-conscious clients with a la carte activities.

With an a la carte programme, groups will pay S$38 per person for a 34-obstacle course, which will come without the usual corporate package frills such as riddles and games, F&B and a certificate of completion, among other things.

“While corporate teambuilding business is down, thankfully our school groups have increased slightly this year,” Singh said.

THE BRISBANE Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) will host the G20 Leaders Summit in November 2014.

The summit is recognised as the world’s premier forum for global economic co-operation and decision-making, bringing together leaders and finance ministers from various countries. Some 7,000 delegates and 3,000 accredited media representatives are expected to attend the summit and the trade and labour conferences that precede the main event.

BCEC general manager, Bob O’Keeffe, said the hosting of the G20 Leaders Summit would place Brisbane at the centre of world events.

He said: “This is a unique opportunity to showcase Brisbane’s credentials as an international business destination, as well as the world-class facilities of the convention centre and the city’s infrastructure.”

THE MEETINGS and incentives market in Brunei is seeing stronger growth this year compared to the last, report some DMCs.

Sunshine Borneo Tours & Travel managing director, Anthony Chieng, attested this growth to rotational regional meetings that have landed in the destination. The company handled the tours for the 19th ASEAN-European Ministerial Meeting in April for more than 300 delegates, as well as the post-show tours for The Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors 16th Annual Congress in July.

Freme Travel Services, which handles mostly meetings and incentives from Malaysia and Vietnam, has registered a year-on-year growth of about five per cent from these markets. The company’s manager, inbound and MICE division, Sugumaran Nair, said groups from Malaysia and Vietnam would usually combine Brunei with Kota Kinabalu in East Malaysia, with an average of three days/two nights spent in Brunei.

Meanwhile, the Sultanate has attracted two new international golf events, namely Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2012 from December 11 to 13, and the Royal Trophy-Europe vs Asia Golf Championship from December 14 to 16.

These tournaments enhance Brunei’s status as a popular golf destination that has hosted games such as the Brunei Open and the Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters.

Nitaya Pirinyuang, sales manager-travel industry/ MICE of The Empire Hotel & Country Club where the two year-end golf games will be held, expects full occupancy during these events.