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100Volume VIII Issue 8 August 2017Pages: 52 16 pages Supplement - Travel Wedding ShowA DDP PublicationMyriad options for MICE in Thailand
editorialDear Reader,According to the fourth annual 2018 Global Travel Forecast, travelprices are expected to rise sharply in the coming year, reachingnearly 4 per cent increase in some sectors. Global airfares areexpected to rise 3.5 per cent in 2018; hotel prices are expected tobe 3.7 per cent higher; and ground transportation such as taxis,trains and buses are expected to rise by 0.6 per cent - significantlyless than the 3.0 per cent inflation forecast for 2018. Geopoliticalrisks, uncertainties in emerging markets and ever-changing politicalenvironments in Europe and the United States mean today’s travelprofessionals have more things to take into account while buildingtheir travel programmes.Thailand remains the top short-haul destination for outboundincentive from India. The friendly destination offers competitivepricing, sheer inventory of hotel rooms, unparalleled hospitality,great shopping and varied options for Indian cuisine. Add to thatsustainable initiatives for experiential CSR and you have a plethoraof green MICE options. In our cover story, we explore MICE inThailand. Also, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau(TCEB) recently unveiled an in-depth business platform known asTIME 2017 (Thailand Incentives and Meetings Exchange) for MICEoperators, we bring you highlights of the same.The customisation of products and services to suit the needs ofMICE travellers will be a focus for the industry, and many companieswill also try and develop venues near major cities with full facilities.The fluctuation of the macro economy will mean that companies goon cost-cutting mode. For this reason, they are likely to host eventsin mid-range hotels and also try and reduce transportation costs.The game of golf can sometimes be a much-needed breather andice-breaker to close big business deals. The game, however has itsown set of gestures which unravels certain sport etiquettes, sharesour expert Shital Kakkar Mehra. Meanwhile, our counsellor ShivaniMisri Sadhoo throws light on the government initiatives tied up bycorporates to elevate women development.New Delhi:72, Todarmal Road,New Delhi 110001, IndiaTel: 91 11 233 44179,Fax: 91-22-22070131E-mail: micetalk@ddppl.comMumbai:504 Marine Chambers, 43New Marine Lines, Mumbai400 020, IndiaTel: 91-22-22070129,22070130Fax: 91-22-22070131E-mail: mumbai@ddppl.comUAE:P.O. Box: 9348, Sharjah, UAETel: 971 6 5528954, Fax: 971 6 5528956E-mail: uae@ddppl.comAll information in MICEtalk isderived from sources, which weconsider reliable. Informationis passed on to our readerswithout any responsibilityon our part. The contents ofthis publication contain views ofauthors and are not the views ofDDP Publications.Similarly, opinions/views expressedby any party in abstract and/orSanJeetMANAGING EDITORPeden Doma BhutiaASSOCIATE EDITORKanchan NathASSISTANT EDITORJessy IypeDESIGNRaashi Ajmani GirdharADVERTISINGGunjan SabikhiKarishma KhannaNeeraj KairaJaspreet KaurADVERTISEMENT DESIGNERSVikas MandotiaNitin KumarPRODUCTION MANAGERAnil KharbandaCIRCULATION MANAGERAshok RanaMUMBAI: ADVERTISINGKeep reading and giving your feedback to us at:micetalk@ddppl.comDDP Publications PrivateLimitedPUBLISHER & EDITORHarshal AsharPriyanshu Wankhadein interviews are not necessarilyshared/do not necessarily reflectany opinion of DDP Publications.All rights reserved throughoutthe world. Reproduction strictlyprohibited. Material appearing inMICEtalk cannot be reproducedin whole or in part without priorwritten permission. The same ruleapplies when there is a copyrightor the article is taken fromanother publication. Publicationsreproducing material either in partor in whole, without permissionwould face legal action.Editorial enquiries and enquiriesconcerning the reproduction ofarticles should be emailed totalk@ddppl.com, advertisingand circulation enquiries should bee-mailed to gunjan@ddppl.comThe publisher assumes noresponsibility for returningunsolicited material nor is heresponsible for material lost ordamaged in transit. Any materialsubmitted to MICEtalk will notbe returned.The publisher reserves therights to refuse, withdraw,amend or otherwise deal withall advertisements withoutexplanation. All advertisementsmust comply with the IndianAdvertisements Code as wellas the Advertisements Code ofSouth Asia. The publisher will notbe liable for any damage or losscaused by the late publication,error or failure or advertisementor editorial to appear.MICEtalk is printed, published,edited and owned by SanJeet,printed at Cirrus Graphics Pvt.Ltd., B-62/14, Phase – II, NarainaIndustrial Area, New Delhi-110028and published at 72, TodarmalRoad, New Delhi-110001MICEtalk August 20173
contentsAUGUST 201714highlights.NEWS8 NEWS from the world of MICE830COVER STORY14 Thailand says SawasdeeKa to MICECOVER STORY22 Come, spend some TIMEin ThailandEXPO30 Korea ups its MICE ante4MICEtalk August 2017
OverPlease send in your suggestions andfeedback to micetalk@ddppl.com600,000 èYou can also read MICEtalk online atReaderswww.micetalk.com323440 46HOTEL32 Heralding MICE with Marriott48RegularEXPERTHOTEL34 A ‘FORT’ to unwind48COUNSELLORWEDDING40 Honeymooners’ Fijian LoveAWARDSOur etiquette expert ShitalMehra Kakkar sharesthe importance of golf asa game and also an icebreaker to close crucialbusiness deals46Counsellor Shivani MisriSadhoo writes about howgovernment is providingsuitable initiativesto elevate womenempowerment42 Roaring applause for maiden ArabianTravel Awards in Dubai6MICEtalk August 2017Cover by:Raashi Ajmani Girdhar
newsNEWSCENTRAL EUROPEIndian arrivals inAustria surge at 28 per centn Austria witnessed a growth of 28 per cent in Indian arrivals fromINDIAIndian domesticaviation climbs17.7%: IATAIndia climbed back to the top of thedomestic aviation growth chart inMay with a 17.7 per cent year-on-yearincrease, as per IATA’s Air PassengerMarket Analysis. This marks the33rd consecutive month of doubledigit RPK growth. However, thevery strong upward SA traffic trendhas slowed since the unexpected‘demonetisation’ in November 2016,in line with the wider impact thatthis looks to have had on economicactivity. Business confidence surveyshave recovered somewhat in recentmonths, particularly on the servicesside. However, the upward trendin domestic RPKs has slowed to anannualised rate of around 7 per centover the past six months.January-June, 2017, informed Christine Mukharji, Market ManagerIndia, Austrian National Tourism Office (ANTO). She added that they arehopeful to welcome over 150,000 Indian arrivals by the end of the year.“This also shows that our market share in comparison to our competitors isincreasing.” Austria saw the maximum increase from the FIT segmentbut Mukharji also pointed out that the destination witnessed an Indianwedding in the month of May with 700 people which was a huge revenuebooster for Austria.NORTH INDIA2nd Travel Wedding Showwitnessed 2000 B2B meetingsnThe second edition of Travel Wedding Show concluded with over 2000meetings conducted among 32 exhibitors and nearly 64 buyers from July 8-9,2017, at Jaipur Marriott Hotel. There were around 2050 pre-scheduled speedmeetings. Sarika Rawal Bhambani, General Manager, Travel Show, furtherinformed that the next edition of Travel wedding Show will be held on July7-8, 2018 in New Delhi. For more, read our supplement on the show.PAN INDIAMCI joins hands withGeTS conferencesn MCI India has entered into a into a jointventure agreement with GeTS Conferences,the largest conference management andaccommodation procurement agency. Thenew business entity will now operate underthe name MCI GeTS India. “GeTS is theperfect partner to accentuate our overallrevenue growth and its brand name pavesthe way for the acquisition of new markets,"said Vishal D’Souza, MD & Chief OperatingOfficer, MCI India.8MICEtalk August 2017
newsNORTH INDIANORTH INDIA2nd GMTM 2017 from Sept 14-16nThe second edition of the Global MICE Travel Mart(GMTM) organised by FICCI, will be held on September 1416, 2017. This was announced by Rahul Chakravarty, SeniorDirector – Tourism, FICCI, on the sidelines of FICCI’s TourismInvestors Meet that took place last week. The annual event willbe instrumental in putting MICE destinations in India on theitineraries of the foreign tour operators and opinion leaders fromIndia. FICCI introduced GMTM in 2016 where the inauguraledition saw a participation of over 30 buyers from 12 countries.ADTOI held GST workshopfor members in Delhin In a bid to prepare its membersfor the new Goods and ServiceTax (GST) regime, Associationof Domestic Tour Operatorsof India(ADTOI) organiseda workshop for its memberson July 1, 2017. The workshopwas conducted at India HabitatCentre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi.G. D. Lohani, Commissioner,Central Board of Excise andCustoms (CBEC); Shikhar Pant,Assistant commissioner, CBEC;Ashish Gupta, ConsultingCEO, FAITH; Gyan Bhushan,Economic Advisor, Governmentof India and other officials fromMinistry of Tourism were presentduring the meeting to interactwith the members and answertheir queries on GST.NORTH INDIAVistara’s check-in &baggage drop facilityat New Delhi stationPAN INDIAYatra acquiresAir TravelBureaun Yatra Online, Inc. have announced acquisition of Air Travel Bureau,India’s largest independent corporate travel services provider, underdefinitive agreement, through its subsidiary, Yatra Online."This acquisition will allow us to deliver best-in-class experiences to aneven wider set of travellers, through our web and mobile app platformsand enhance our reach to cross-sell our entire product suite, includinghotels, to this customer base," said Dhruv Shringi, Co-Founder andChief Executive Officer, Yatra Online, Inc. "ATB has built a very strongpresence over the last 30 years in the corporate travel space," said SunilNarain, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ATB.n Vistara has joined hands with the DelhiMetro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and DelhiInternational Airport (DIAL) to introducecheck-in and baggage drop facilities at theNew Delhi station of the Delhi Metro AirportExpress Line. Phee Teik Yeoh, CEO, Vistara,said, “This partnership adds to the multiplecheck-in options we offer to our customer andenables smooth functioning in Delhi with thesame efficiency as in the airport.”
newsNEWSNORTH INDIAJewar: NCR's 2nd international airport?n Delhi-NCR is all set to have its second international airport, after thegovernment granted in-principle approval for a greenfield airport at Jewarin Greater Noida. Making this announcement, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju,Union Minister, Civil Aviation, said that the air traffic in the NCR regionis growing very fast. From the current level of 62 million passengers perannum, it is expected to reach upto 91 MPPA by 2020 and 109 MPPAby 2024. The Noida International Airport will be located 72kms fromIGI Airport and 65 kms from Hindon Air Force station Ghaziabad.Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) is theimplementing authority of the project.GLOBALMarriott's personal learningexperiences for membersn Available exclusively for members as a result of Marriott International’sunrivalled roster of global brands, property amenities, and partnerships, theseone-of-a kind, sought-after learning experiences are designed to be personalinteractions with superstars in sports, culinary, entertainment, and lifestyle.The first collection in the ongoing global master class series features hands-onlearning experiences with basketball great Dwyane Wade, Hall of Fame golferAnnika Sörenstam, celebrated chef Eric Ripert, and legendary surfer LairdHamilton. These experiences are in addition to the thousands offered on bothMarriott Rewards Moments and SPG Moments platforms.10MICEtalk August 2017GLOBALCarlson WagonlitTravel introduces RoomItby CWTn With an aimto create anddeliver innovativeexperienceto customeraccommodationsglobally, CarlsonWagonlit Travel(CWT) launchedits new businessScott Brennandivision,RoomIt by CWT. “RoomIt by CWTsimplifies the hotel booking processand puts the most relevant lodgingoptions in one place. It will enablebetter, more personalised service toour travellers,” said Scott Brennan,President, Hotels, Carlson WagonlitTravel. RoomIt is designed to satiatethe changing customer needswith increased functionality andpersonalisation capabilities whileequipping companies with the toolsto effectively monitor employees’travel schedules, clarity on queries.”PAN INDIACathay Pacific offersvirtual baggage allowancen Cathay Pacific has introduced chatbot Vera – a virtual assistant to addressall queries on baggage allowance or extrabaggage charges on Cathay Pacific or CathayDragon flights. It will assist customerswith queries related to check-in and cabinbaggage allowance. Rajesh Menon, RegionalSales & Marketing Manager, South Asia,Cathay Pacific Airways, said, “This initiativewill give our customers a 24*7 access to seekimmediate clarity on their queries.”
newsGLOBAL‘We mean Business’ for corporate travellersn Choice Hotels International announced its ‘We mean Business’ platform,signifying a commitment to partner with corporate travel managers anddemonstrate expanded services for business travellers. Transforming uppermidscale and midscale brands like Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, and SleepInn, the group helps to ensure that corporate managers are recommendingthe best products in those segments to business travellers. Choice Hotelsoffer the one-of-a-kind Your Extras benefit as part of the award-winningChoice Privileges loyalty programme. Designed with the corporate travellerin mind, Your Extras lets members digitally select additional instant rewardson every midweek stay.EAST ASIASongdo Convensia todouble its size by 2018n Songdo Convensia, a landmark of IncheonFree Economic Zone (IFEZ), located inSongdo, South Korea, will be reopened inJuly, 2018, with a total floor area of 64,000sqm, double its current size. It will have900 exhibition booths, premium ballroomthat can accommodate up to 2000 peopleand 41 meeting rooms, fully ready for itsgrand reopening. Lee Yeong-Geun, IFEZCommissioner, said, “The exhibitionand conference industry is critical forSongdo International District to beglobally competitive.”
associationCITY OF NIZAMS to greetICPB convention in AugustICPB's 10th Conventions India Conclave (CIC) will be held from August 29-31 at HICCAnkita SaxenaChander MansharamaniThe theme for the 10th annual conventionof India Convention Promotion Bureau(ICPB) is ‘Expanding the Boundaries–Mission Possible.’ The ConventionsIndia Conclave (CIC) will focus on all segmentsof the MICE industry, creating an opportunityfor its members to look for new avenues ofbusiness development. Telangana is the partnerstate for the Convention. Pre-scheduled B2Bmeetings and the exhibition will be an importantcomponent of the Conclave, informed ChanderMansharamani, Vice Chairman, ICPB.“We are expecting 250-300 delegates during thetwo day event which includes 50-60 exhibitorsand both domestic and international buyers. TheConclave is not only significant for completingWe are expecting 250-300 delegates for the twoday event, including 50-60 exhibitorsHyderabadInternationalConvention Centre12MICEtalk August 201710 years but will also be an opportunity for usto project ICPB as a parent body for marketingIndia as a preferred destination for internationaland domestic conventions,” he said.This year, ICPB plans to conduct networkingsessions for all associations from scientific andmedical fields in India, which are responsiblefor organising various conventions, large-scalemeetings and events in India to interact with themembers of ICPB. He further adds that ICPB isworking on restructuring and strengthening theassociation, and CIC will play an instrumentalrole in the same. The sessions and paneldiscussions will focus on various aspects ofthe MICE industry. Topics like technologyinnovations in the meetings industry, meetingexpectations of the corporate sector and synergybetween exhibitions and the conference industry,will be deliberated upon. A distinguished panelof international speakers is also expected.
cover storyThailand says SAWA14MICEtalk August 2017
cover storyThailand is an optimaldestination that offerscompetitive pricing,sheer inventoryof hotel rooms,unparalleled hospitality,meetings with agreen touch. MICEtalkunravels moreKanchan NathASDEE KA to MICEMICEtalk August 201715
cover storythough smaller in size, they offer professionalquality. Thailand’s five major MICE citiesinclude Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Maiand KhonKaen.BANGKOKThis quintessential Asian metropolis is an eclecticmix of modern and traditional living that offers alively nightlife, unlimited shopping options, richhistory, and an unparalleled variety of activitiesand attractions.In 2012, Chiang Mai played host to nearly 500MICE functions and 47,000 overseas travellersSUITABLY CONNECTEDDID YOU KNOW?SuvarnabhumiInternationalAirport inBangkok hasthe tallestcontrol towerin the world16MICEtalk August 2017The connectivity to the Kingdom of Thailandis optimal for travellers, who can avail flightconnectivity from India from Thai Airwaysat ease. More than 50 flights fly from India toBangkok every week. Bangkok Airways also hasflights but only from Mumbai. For connectivitywith Tier-II cities, Thai Smile have started flightsfrom Lucknow and Jaipur, while more are likelyto be initiated. With the cost going up in thelong-haul market, Asia is projected to be thereal winner.New corporate high-end events from Indiaare headed mostly to Krabi, Koh Samui,It offers roomy, award-winning venues likeIMPACT Arena (over 150,000 square meters ofadvanced indoor space) and BITEC (BangkokInternational Trade & Exhibition Centre, over50,000 square meters); Bangkok ConventionCentre, Royal Paragon Hall, QSNCC or fromthe never-ending selection of hotels, resorts,outdoors spaces, and cultural meeting venues– like the Royal Thai Navy Hall and the GrandPostal Building – that allow your creative juicesto flow. Among the extensive list of venues is theCentara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centreat Central World. It offers L Group (classroomseating of more than 1000).CHIANG MAIChiang Mai has become a favourite destinationfor international business events. Chiang MaiInternational Airport allows easy access to theregion. In 2012, the city played host to nearly 500MICE functions and 47,000 overseas business
interviewThai’s myriad MICE offeringsNitin Sachdeva, Director-India Representative Office, TCEB, shares thelucrative MICE offerings that Thailand has for Indian MICE travellersNitin SachdevaHow was the year 2016 for you vis-e-vie 2015.How have the first six months of 2017 beenfor you?Currently, the MICE sector comprises four mainindustry categories namely, corporate meetings(25 per cent market share), incentive travel (24per cent), international conventions (33 per cent)and international exhibitions and trade fairs(18 per cent).In the 2016 fiscal year (Oct’15-Sep'16), Thailand’sbusiness events industry earned 102.5 billion baht(Euro 3.8 million) in revenues, 6.90 per cent upfrom the revenue in 2015. Thailand welcomed1,268,560 business event travellers, attractedby Thailand’s endless choice of vibrant businessdestinations, global standards of service, anddiverse business opportunities.The number of business travellers is up to15.75 per cent from the number in 2015. Asiais Thailand’s largest source of business eventstravellers, especially China which is the topsource market arriving in Thailand.Can you explain the nuances of Indian MICEmarket for Thailand?India, the second highest source market followingChina, has contributed more than 90,000 MICEtravellers, generating more than 8 billion bahtMICE revenue since 2015. The average length of18MICEtalk August 2017stay for a MICE group from India is four nights.We always welcome any sort
WEDDING COUNSELLOR Honeymooners’ Fijian Love AWARDS Roaring applause for maiden Arabian . but Mukharji also pointed out that the destination witnessed an Indian wedding in the month of May with 700 people which was a huge revenue b
