August 2019 Mauritius is the Indian Ocean’s rising star Shaping Hiroshima’s events future KDN PPS1888/02/2017(025626) AIA buys out Disneyland Asia-Pacific’s intelligent business events resource TOP INCENTIVE IDEAS From living the life of a Crazy Rich Asian to taking it slow with a stroll and lunch on the Great Wall, here are some of the most alluring experiences to inspire top performances Celebrating 45Years D BE ON YOUR NAME COULBANGKOK THIS TICKET TO tember 2019 24 – 26 Sep BOARDING PASS In Partnership with: FROM TO GATE SEAT NAME DATE FLIGHT JOB TITLE ORGANISATION EMAIL your event! picture and pick your interest. ur details, take a below to indicate Fill in yo ted event QR code R scan your selec Send us the image O Newly Introduced Specialised Tracks Up to 100% Hosted Buyer Buyer Activities For Different Buyer Pre-Scheduled Privileges including an interactive ice Segments Appointments including flights and breaker, brand showcase featuring freshly curated with the largest collection accommodation for presentations, exhibition highlights to meet MICE, of Asia-Pacific MICE and qualified MICE, Association FROM walk-abouts, meet-the- Association and Corporate Corporate Travel Suppliers and Corporate Travel buyers TO corporates and more Travel objectives GATE NAME SEAT DATE Exhibitors | MICE TITLE JOB Exhibitors & Sponsors FLIGHT Buyers | MICE | Association Professionals Corporate Travel Managers & Executives Conference Delegates Media | MICEE &MAI AssociationsL Media | Corporate Travel www.itcma.com ION www.corporatetravelworld.com/apac [email protected] [email protected] nue Official Airline Official Ve Supported By Host Country and Strategic Partner Organised By EDITORIAL Karen Yue Group Editor ([email protected]) S Puvaneswary Editor, Malaysia/Brunei Keep calm ([email protected]) Mimi Hudoyo Editor, Indonesia ([email protected]) Pamela Chow Reporter ([email protected]) and carry on Rachel AJ Lee Sub Editor ([email protected]) Adelaine Ng Australia The news is depressing these days, with headlines screaming ([email protected]) about an impending global recession. The pensive mood is ag- Marissa Carruthers Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam gravated by Deutsche Bank’s move in July to start trimming its ([email protected]) global workforce with 18,000 job cuts. Caroline Boey China & Special Projects ([email protected]) Here in Asia, warning bells were recently sounded by the Prudence Lui Hong Kong/Greater China Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and ([email protected]) financial forecasting firm Oxford Economics. A joint report by Rohit Kaul India ([email protected]) Tiara Maharani Indonesia the two entities predicted that six South-east Asian economies ([email protected]) – Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Julian Ryall Japan ([email protected]) Karen Yue Rosa Ocampo The Philippines Vietnam – will experience slower growth in 2020. Published in ([email protected]) Group Editor June, the report singled out Singapore as the economy to be hit Feizal Samath Sri Lanka/Maldives ([email protected]) the hardest by the ongoing US-China trade war. Redmond Sia, Goh Meng Yong But it appears that the doom and gloom is stopping short at Creative Designers the threshold of the business events industry – for now perhaps. Lina Tan Editorial Assistant Many events specialists are still reporting business as usual, SALES & MARKETING Pierre Quek some with clients proceeding with trips and events as planned, Publisher and Head Integrated Solutions while others are taking cautious steps to spend a little more ([email protected]) Ar-Iene Lee Senior Business Manager wisely. ([email protected]) And when it comes to corporate incentive trips, not a single Jonathan Yap Senior Business Manager ([email protected]) events specialist is expecting clients to put a freeze on them Shirley Tan Senior Business Manager even if recession does set in. Recognised as an effective perfor- ([email protected]) mance motivation, enquiries for corporate incentive trips are still Chelsea Huang Marketing Executive ([email protected]) streaming in. Delia Ng Digital Marketing Strategist There’s money for incentive trips, but it is money that destina- ([email protected]) Cheryl Lim Advertisement Administration tions and events specialists must work harder to get. Cautious Manager ([email protected]) spend and the plethora of perks and assistance offered by eager Carol Cheng Asst Manager Administration & Marketing destinations come together to make winning that client contract (Hong Kong, [email protected]) even harder. PUBLISHING SERVICES If there is a time for destinations, incentive houses and event Jonathan Wan Head, Operational Support Services suppliers to get more creative in what they can do to entice cor- Kun Swee Qi Publishing Services Executive porates and convince them that they make the best lures for top Nur Hazirah Web Executive performance, then the time is now. Katherine Leong Circulation Executive Be done with off-the-rack leisure activities and overused ideas OFFICES for incentive programmes. Invest in customised ideas that top Singapore TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd, achievers cannot buy on their own. 1 Science Park Road, #04-07 The Capricorn, Don’t just bring top achievers to Kyoto; bring them into the Singapore Science Park II, Singapore 117528 Tel: +65 6395 7575, fax: +65 6536 0896, email: secret world of Japanese anime studios to meet the geniuses who [email protected] create animated sequences. Don’t just place top achievers in the Hong Kong TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd, 8/F, E168, embrace of luxury resorts in Langkawi; give them a chance to 166-168 Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong explore secret islands. Don’t just bus top achievers into the city; Tel: +852 2237 7288, fax: +852 2237 7227 roar them in on Harleys with buff biker dudes. TTG ASIA MEDIA PTE LTD More ideas are for your picking in our annual feature (36 Top Darren Ng Managing Director incentive ideas, pages 8-13). We hope you find them useful, but feel free to let us know what other fascinating experiences we have missed out. Sharing is caring! TTGmice, endorsed by the Asian Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, is published by TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd, and is mailed free-of-charge on written request to readers Asia-wide who meet a set of predetermined terms and conditions. Annual airmail subscription charges are US$70 (Asia) and US$90 (elsewhere). All rights reserved. No part of this publi- cation may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. MCI (P) 028/08/2018 KDN PPS1888/02/2017(025626), ISSN 0218-849X Printed by Times Printers Pte Ltd 16 Tuas Avenue 5, Singapore 639340 4 8 4 16 20 www.ttgmice.com COVER STORY 8 Top incentive ideas From living the life of a Crazy Rich Asian to taking it slow with a stroll and lunch on the Great Wall, here are some of the most alluring experiences to inspire top performances COUNTRY REPORTS 14 Mauritius // Indian Ocean’s rising star Mauritius is gradually making its way to the front of the resort destination DEPARTMENTS crowd, and Xinyi Liang-Pholsena shares why the island nation should be 1 To our readers earmarked by incentive planners 3 Connect 16 Japan // Shaping a city’s events future 4 Marketplace Hiroshima is putting its dark history behind and stepping forth with a sharp suit to attract major business events, writes Julian Ryall 6 Talk of the trade 20 Case study 18 Qatar // Qatar gets the nod for events New business hotels, modern event venues and good air connectivity are 21 Over coffee with boosting Qatar’s chances with planners. By Marissa Carruthers 22 People TTGmice August 2019 • 3 Snapshots PERSPECTIVES @ttgmice Joanne Sully of American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) says business travel is changing, and TMCs need to have their technology keep up with the evolving needs of business travellers TTGmice heads to Osaka for a 4D/3N fam It’s all in a day’s work for TTGmice’s Rachel AJ trip to experience the city’s unique sights and Lee, who is at Kishiwada Castle to feel what it’s sounds. like to be in a ninja costume! June 4 June 6 INTELLIGENCE Pacific World has released a report revealing its choice of emerging destinations for 2019, which companies can use as a tool when considering their next meeting or incentive travel location. Among the destinations of choice are Aix-en-Provence in France and Qingdao in China. Smiling heads of ICCA, UFI and AIPC come (L to R) Perth Convention Bureau’s Gareth together to celebrate the launch of Global Martin, Australian High Commissioner to Alliance, a tripartite initiative to benefit Singapore Bruce Gosper, Western Australia members. tourism minister Paul Papalia, and Singapore June 27 Airlines’ Edwin Chiang met with corporate travel managers and event planners at a Western Australian event in Singapore. July 1 Facebook.com/TTGmice Twitter.com/TTGmice Instagram.com/ttgmice Visit TTGmice.com for more exciting reads What’s happening September 18-20 September 24-26 October 16-18 PATA Travel Mart IT&CM Asia and CTW Asia Pacific MICE Show Asia Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan Bangkok, Thailand Singapore Marketplace We love Meet at the DMZ and spread the word on peace South Korean tour company DMZ Spy Tour is promoting two new experi- door barbecue and entertainment in the form of a K-pop cover concert ences for corporate groups that give participants a clearer understand- or jazz concert. ing of the relationship between North and South Korea. The other corporate tour is a boardgame-based teambuilding activ- The tour company specialises in tours at and around the DMZ – the ity built around the Korean War, and a private tour along the North Korean Demilitarized Zone which exists on the border between North Korean Spy Commando Invasion Route.