THE Indonesian government has selected 10 destinations to host preliminary meetings related to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Bali next November.

The ten destinations are Jakarta, Bandung, Medan, Palembang, Jogjakarta, Lombok, Manado, Makassar, Semarang and Surabaya.

Indonesia Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Mari Elka Pangestu, said the move was part of the central government authority’s efforts to introduce other MICE destinations beyond Jakarta and Bali, giving them a chance to host international events.

“Discussion topics on the tourism agenda (for these related meetings) are sustainable tourism development and common visa,” Pangestu said.

Meanwhile, Pangestu said infrastructure development across Bali, which includes the expansion of the Ngurah Rai International Airport and the construction of the Nusa Dua-Airport-Benoa toll road and underpass at Simpang Siur, is “on track” and will complete by mid-2013, before the APEC Summit.

YEARS after Amway China led its incentive group for the first time to Taiwan by cruise in 2009, the destination will once again welcome delegates from the company in 2013.

Apple Tours, the appointed DMC for the event, will fly 12,000 to 15,000 top distributors from China and Hong Kong into Taiwan in five batches, with each group spending five days in the destination.

The event will span from March 12 to April 1.

Amway Taiwan, corporate relations director, Nadia Ding, said the 2009 trip to Taiwan was “the first direct cross-strait sea transport in 60 years” between China and Taiwan.

“But on that trip our distributors spent most of their time on the cruise ship, and was only on land for a few hours,” she said.

“Mainland Chinese find Taiwan an attractive destination given the historical background and rich tourism resources. (Our programme next year) will be more of an FIT arrangement. Distributors are encouraged to explore Taiwan on their own.

“Instead of sightseeing or shopping, we have come up with six itinerary options that explore Taipei and other cities. One itinerary, for instance, offers a day trip to Kaohsiung or Tainan via high-speed train. With the help of (smartphone applications), distributors may travel around easily. Many itineraries also aim to showcase the nightlife of Taipei,” she added.

As some of the participants were on the 2009 programme, Amway China has arranged for different experiences in the coming trip. For instance, the 2013 event will feature a closed-door shopping party with celebrities in major department stores, as well as a bicycle tour around Taipei, a gala dinner with cultural performances in an outdoor camp site.

Participants will also be given taxi coupons in lieu of cash.

Ding complimented the Taipei City Government for approving the use of the outdoor camp site as well as the National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall for the business sessions.

“This saves us from having to demolish and reinstall venue set-ups, as five groups will arrive and depart separately over three weeks. Our key challenge now is to find ways to woo our sophisticated distributors of different age groups and interests,” she said.

BUSINESS Events Sydney (BESydney) has been tasked to manage business event enquiries and bookings for the future Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct (SICEEP) in Darling Harbour and the Glebe Island Expo until operators of the two facilities are appointed.

According to Tim Parker, project director of Infrastructure NSW, the company behind the SICEEP project, Glebe Island Expo will be a temporary facility.

“It is designed specifically to house exhibitions scheduled during construction of the new Darling Harbour venue, and will be removed once our new, world-class precinct opens at Darling Harbour,” Parker told TTGmice e-Weekly.

He added: “Glebe Island Expo will be up and running by the time the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Sydney Entertainment Centre are closed for the construction of the new facilities in December 2013.”

According to a press statement by BESydney, major public exhibitions and trade shows affected by the Darling Harbour development will have first right of refusal for bookings for the interim facility.

The interim facility is expected to secure additional events too.

Speaking of BESydney’s new responsibility, Parker said: “BESydney’s team has extensive knowledge of the events market and the expertise to oversee the enquiry and booking process for both Glebe Island Expo and SICEEP.

“Our aim is to make the enquiry and booking processes as streamlined and user-friendly as possible. BESydney is already bidding on events for 2017 and beyond that will take place in the new facilities. The company is well placed to manage enquiries.”

Lyn Lewis-Smith, BESydney CEO, said: “BESydney will be a one-stop shop for business events. Glebe Island Expo is part of the Sydney-wide interim solution that will enable Sydney to remain a vibrant hub for business events while SICEEP is constructed. The new facilities will deliver great opportunities for business events in the city, both now and in the future, and the team is looking forward to working closely with the industry to ensure their success.

“We already have a dedicated Event Delivery department that assists clients with sourcing venue options for their events. BESydney has been working closely over the past months to re-home the conferences and congresses it secured for Sydney that will be affected by the SICEEP development.

“This team will be expanded and will have dedicated staff to take on the responsibilities of the Glebe Island Expo and SICEEP.”

STAR Cruises’ SuperStar Virgo has been appointed the official event venue for the 9^thCongress of the World Federation of Soh Associations next month.

Said to be the first congress to be hosted on a cruise, the event will take place on the newly refurbished ship from October 17-19, with port calls at Malacca and Kuala Lumpur.

More than 1,000 representatives of Soh Clan Associations from China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, America and Europe are expected to attend the biennial congress, which is organised by the Soh Clan Association (Singapore) this year.

It was first held in Manila in 1994.

FOOD PLAYGROUND, a cooking studio launched recently in Singapore, is looking to serve up cultural- and culinary-themed teambuilding programmes to corporate clients.

Founded by Daniel Tan, who was with The Ascott Group and Pan Pacific Hotels Group, and another business partner, Food Playground had its first corporate group earlier this week. The event was a product launch and cook-out for some 20 international media representatives, hosted by a multinational home appliance manufacturer.

Speaking to TTGmice e-Weekly at his cooking studio in Tanjong Pagar, within the central business district, Tan said: “I’ve had several enquiries from companies wanting to do teambuilding at Food Playground. We can tailor the programme for private groups, such as by featuring specific dishes or creating a cooking competition for teams.”

Food Playground’s cooking studio has a well-equipped kitchen with large workstations for 16 people and an instructor, as well as a spacious dining area where participants can dig into their own creations after classes.

Corporate event planners can also opt for Food Playground’s three-hour Cultural Cooking Class as a pre- or post-show tour option. The programme will begin with a half-hour visit to a local wet market, where participants will be introduced to local spices, tropical fruits and the locals’ way of life, and followed by 90 minutes of cooking instructions on two popular local dishes and an hour of dining and interaction. It is priced at S$99 (US$80.50) per person.

Programmes offered are commissionable, but the commission rate has yet to be firmed up.