In This Issue

In The Air

Focus: Thailand's Convention Bureau Fights Back

Travellers are still wary of going to Thailand, which was once one of the world’s perennial choice destinations.
Anti-government groups have begun street protests in mid-March, carrying out 70 bomb and grenade attacks. The situation escalated in April in a series of bloody confrontation, which killed and injured people. The protesters would not surrender until May 19.
In an email interview on May 7, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau president, Akapol Sorasuchart, told ENL Asia-Pacific editor, Ruby Gonzalez, the extent of damage the protests has done on his country’s MICE and what TCEB is doing to regain lost grounds.

ENL: How many international MICE cancellations has Thailand received as a direct result of the protests?

AS: The continuing political conflict has led to serious and increasing impact on the MICE industry. Although the first quarter results was on track with our 2010 projection of 25 percent annual industry growth from 2009, the recent protests have caused significant impact on the industry; we have revised our year-end targets accordingly. We now expect MICE revenues in 2010 to fall 30 percent below 2009 levels, with a 11-percent decline in MICE business travel compared with last year. We have revised our projections for visitor numbers down to 551,800, generating Bt31.5 billion (US$973 million) in revenues. So far, a total of 13 business events has been cancelled and 12 business events has been postponed leading to economic losses of more than Bt782 million.

ENL: In the light of negative perceptions spurred by the protests, what is TCEB currently doing to encourage international MICE to come to Thailand?

AS: In response to the crisis, TCEB took urgent steps to adjust its 2010 budget plan by Bt200 million in order to implement three main crisis support strategies. Firstly, TCEB offers direct assistance to the private sector in urgent cases. Secondly, we are working to open up new market opportunities. And, thirdly, we are redoubling our efforts to promote Thailand and restore the international image of Thailand’s MICE industry.

Initiatives under this strategy include marketing, sales promotion and communications, as well as research to develop Thailand’s potential and competitiveness in attracting and organizing top MICE events. Most importantly, we hope to bring together the private and public sectors to coordinate their efforts to ensure that 2010 MICE visitor numbers and revenues are at least equal to last year’s figures.

The crisis budget is divided into two parts, allowing TCEB to offer urgent direct assistance to MICE operators, as well as promotional campaigns for MICE visitors and incentive groups visiting Thailand.

National road shows to other countries are also planned, comprising of representatives from both private and public sectors.

The government has reaffirmed its confidence in Thailand’s MICE industry and a number of measures has been launched to revive confidence in Thailand as an ideal destination for MICE meetings and exhibitions. This includes free life and property insurance for MICE visitors, as well as support for market promotion initiatives to attract more international MICE events to Thailand. TCEB has allocated a budget of Bt90 million for these activities.

ENL: How much time do you think will it take for Thailand’s international MICE arrivals to normalize?

AS: If the situation returns to normal soon, TCEB is confident in a recovery within the sector during the next four to six months.

www.tceb.or.th

Australia's Newest Hotel

Australia’s newest hotel opened its doors on April 21. The wave-shaped Crown Metropol has 658 rooms. It also features celebrity Gordon Ramsay’s two new restaurants, maze and maze Grill.

ocated in Melbourne, Crown Metropol was built at a cost of A$300 million (US$250 million).

The hotel’s 658 rooms is inclusive of 579 hotel rooms, 34 studios, 12 spa accommodation rooms, 32 lofts and one apartment-style residence.

The Office is Crown Metropol’s business zone, which has four meeting rooms that can each hold up to 50 guests theatre-style. It is ideal for hosting meetings, presentations, intimate cocktails or private dinners. Larger conferences can be accommodated at the adjacent Crown Conference Centre, which can cater for up to 840 delegates.

www.crownmetropol.com.au

Ideas: Group Visa to Guangdong, China

Visitors travelling in a group upon arrival in Hong Kong can get a group visa or 144-hour Convenient Visa to travel to Guangdong Province. This is a separate piece of paper (not affixed to any passport), which requires that group members enter and exit China together.

144-hour Convenient Visa is valid for 144 hours (6 days) via entry ports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou and Shantou using the 144-hour Convenient Visa.

To apply for the 144-hour Convenient Visa, visitors:

      • must join a tour organised by a registered Hong Kong travel agent
      • must travel in a group consisting of a minimum 3 persons and a maximum of 40 persons
      • can have a choice of ports of entry or exit in Guangdong Province
      • must enter and leave the areas together via the above-stated ports of entry

At the ports of entry and exit in Guangdong Province, immigration officers will examine passports and the list of names in the group. Group members will not need to fill in any immigration cards for passport stamping.

The policy is applicable to ordinary passport holders of nations with diplomatic relations with China.

Ideas: Get Lucky at Macau's City of Dreams

Each and everyone have made it to the incentives list because of hard work. It wouldn’t be a bad idea, though, if luck also comes their way and goes home with them and help them anew in exceeding sales quotas.

For a year and a half now, Macau’s City of Dreams has been creating the atmosphere conducive to attracting luck with its ‘Let’s Get Lucky’ campaign.

The focus is on creating the winning positive vibes to prime casino players for big win. Even non-players though will find it hard not to fall into its embrace.

Treasure Palace, which specialises in Cantonese cuisine, for instance, serves the ‘Exquisite Eight Specials’ which are certified City of Dreams’ ‘lucky signature dishes. At Hard Rock Hotel, even simple door signs at guest rooms reinforce good luck.

www.cityofdreamsmacau.com

CHINA: Macau Gets Another Wynn

SINGAPORE: Marina Bay Sands Starts Pulling in Crowds

The public has been seeing part of the stuff that Marina Bay Sands in Singapore is made of beginning April 27, when it had its soft-opening. The first phase, which is now operational, includes 963 hotel rooms, the convention centre, Event Plaza and casino.

When Marina Bay Sands holds its grand opening on June 23, the remainder of the property's 2,560 guest rooms and facilities will open.

To date, Marina Bay Sands has more than 160 events booked in its Sands Expo and Convention Centre. Those events, beginning in May, are expected to draw more than 250,000 total attendees.

In October, one of the property's two state-of-the-art theatres will welcome Disney's The Lion King. The Marina Bay Sands museum, expected to open by December, will feature international exhibitions.
Marina Bay Sands on www.i-mi.com · www.marinabaysands.com · sales@marinabaysands.com

In The Air

Air Canada- Asiana Airlines MOU

Air Canada (AC) has entered into talks to explore a closer cooperation with Korea's Asiana Airlines that would result in enhanced service in the Canada-Korea market. A Memorandum of Understanding to build a strategic partnership was recently signed by the two Star Alliance partners. This follows an open skies agreement signed by Canada and Korea in 2009, which further liberalised air transportation services between the two countries.

The strategic partnership between AC and Asiana, subject to the approval of competition authorities in Canada and Korea, would build on their existing Star Alliance partnership and code-sharing agreement in place.

AC operates daily year-round non-stop service between Vancouver and Seoul with same plane service from Toronto and codeshares on eight routes operated by Asiana.
www.aircanada.com · flyasiana.com

DMCs’ Creative Response to EC’s Ban on Philippine Carriers

Philippine DMCs have not let up in selling the Philippines in Europe despite European Commission (EC)’s decision, effective April 1, to ban Philippine carriers to its 27 member countries. The ban also covers Philippine carriers serving domestic points within the country.

Blue Horizons managing director, Arnie Bayag, said his company has started pushing to the EU market programmes that begin in Manila and Cebu and do not require air travel. International airlines other than Philippine flag-carriers service these cities.

Out of Manila, Bayag said the most popular programmes head for Northern Luzon highlighted by the Banaue Rice Terraces tour.

Cebu, meanwhile, serves as the gateway to neighbouring islands of Bohol and Dumaguete, which are accessible by ferries.

Bayag said other DMCs have also gone high gear in creatively responding to the EU ban. “It is a natural market reaction,” he said.

EU passengers still have the option of flying with Philippine carriers but they are very cautious because European insurance companies have stopped covering EU travellers for even domestic air travel in the Philippines.

In its decision to implement the ban, EC cited the Philippine government’s lax enforcement of aviation safety rules. The ban will only be lifted once Philippine carriers pass the International Civil Aviation Organization audit.

According to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines head, Alfonso Cusi, the last audit was conducted in November 2009. He said improvements have been implemented since then and that he had invited the EU safety aviation commission this month for a re-inspection.