Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/907804
CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER THOMAS L. KEMP CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER LISA COHEN PRESIDENT, TRAVEL GROUP ROBERT G. SULLIVAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL MEDIA THOMAS CINTORINO EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, GROUP PUBLISHER DAVID BLANSFIELD SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR LORI CIOFFI SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR ARNIE WEISSMANN SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES JANINE L. BAVOSO VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING SOLUTIONS MICHELLE ROSENBERG VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION ROBERTA MULLER VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT LICENSING SHEILA RICE VICE PRESIDENT, IT INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS RICH MASTROPIETRO VICE PRESIDENT, DATABASE PRODUCTS ELIZABETH KOESSER Published by NORTHSTAR TRAVEL MEDIA SINGAPORE PTE LTD SINGAPORE 91 Bencoolen Street, #05-08 Sunshine Plaza, Singapore 189652 • TEL: (65) 6801 0450 FAX: (65) 6801 0469 BEIJING Room 024, Building 8, Qijiayuan Diplomatic Compound, No.9 Jianguomenwai Street, Chaoyang District 100600, China • TEL: (8610) 8532 3611 | FAX: (8610) 8532 5293 SHANGHAI Room 2553, The Headquarters Building, No.168 Central XiZhang Road, Shanghai 200001, China • TEL: (8621) 5179 8360 | FAX: (8621) 5179 8360 Head Office 100 LightingWay, Secaucus, N.J. 07094-3681 U.S.A. • TEL: ( 201) 902-2000 M&C/Asia ISSN 2424-8215 MCI(P) 007/09/2017 PPS 1871/11/2015 (025607) is published on a bi-monthly basis by Northstar Travel Media Singapore Pte Ltd, located at 91 Bencoolen Street, #05-08 Sunshine Plaza, Singapore 189652. 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Alternatively, you can fax to +852 3020 5794 or go online at: www.meetings-conventions-asia.com/subscribe For reprints or copyright permission contact M&C Asia at +65 6801 0450 or email to reprint@ntmllc.com Printed by Times Printers Private Limited (L004/08/2016) A PUBLICATION OF NORTHSTAR TRAVEL MEDIA, LLC GROUP PUBLISHER Irene Chua Tel: (65) 6801 0451 | ichua@ntmllc.com EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Yeoh Siew Hoon Tel: (65) 6801 0450 | syeoh@ntmllc.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Esther Faith Lew Tel: (65) 6801 0457 | esther.lew@ntmllc.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Lee Xin Hui Tel: (65) 6801 0453 | xinhui.lee@ntmllc.com REPORTER Naomi Neoh Tel: (65) 6801 0461 | naomi.neoh@ntmllc.com CONTRIBUTORS Monica Li, Brittany Panter, Brooke Thio, Marissa Trew ART DIRECTOR Lim Bee Bee Tel: (65) 9750 8405 | bb.bbcreative@gmail.com SALES & MARKETING REGIONAL SALES MANAGER Kevin Ng Tel: (65) 6801 0459 | kevin.ng@ntmllc.com REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Ng Whey Whey Tel: (65) 6801 0460 | whey.ng@ntmllc.com ASSOCIATE MANAGER, MARKETING AND EVENTS Melanie Ong Tel: (65) 6801 0458 | melanie.ong@ntmllc.com AD TRAFFIC AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Rena Koh Tel: (65) 6801 0455 | rena.koh@ntmllc.com IT & DIGITAL IT & DIGITAL OPERATIONS Ron Wee Tel: (65) 6801 0456 | ron.wee@ntmllc.com CHINA OFFICE GROUP PUBLISHER (China) Rebecca Zhang Tel: (8621) 5179 8363 | rebecca.zhang@ntmllc.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR (Beijing) Shawn Li Tel: (8610) 8532 4021 | shawn.li@ntmllc.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR (Shanghai) Roger Wang Tel: (8621) 5179 8360 | roger.wang@ntmllc.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Susan Li Tel: (8610) 8532 3611 | susan.li@ntmllc.com MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES HONG KONG/MACAU ZAM International - Manna Ma Tel: (852) 9731 2090 | manna.ma@zamintl.com.hk INDIA MHI Communications - Smriti Khanna Tel: (9198) 1040 7483 | skhanna@mhi.com.hk JAPAN R Project Incorporated - Hiroki Fukunaga Tel: (81) 90 4958 0658 | hirokif@rprojectinc.com KOREA Young Media Inc - Keon Chang Tel: (822) 2273 4833 | ymedia@chol.com MIDDLE EAST The MediaVantage - Lenora Bennis Tel: (971) 52 846 6212 | lenora@themediavantage.com PHILIPPINES MMPR Media Group, Inc - Marie Monozca Tel: (63) 917 328 7658 | marie@mmprmedia.com AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR - ASIA Patti Mo | patti.mo@ntmllc.com DATABASE & FULFILLMENT MANAGER Zoe Chu | zoe.chu@ntmllc.com FINANCE ASIA FINANCE MANAGER Julia Tham | julia.tham@ntmllc.com NOV-DEC 2017 1 meetings & conventions • mcmag-asia.com EDITOR'S NOTE Welcome! We wish you a pleasant stay. or frequent travellers, it's your home away from home. For VIPs, it's where you feel like a king or queen. And for MICE professionals and delegates, the hotel is the venue that influences their make-or-break experience – and opinions while attending a conference or meeting. A bad personal experience will set the mood for the rest of their programme at the hotel. Feedback by delegates at international events have consistently showed that the check-in process has to be smooth, quick and hassle-free – it rates as one of the top few concerns that are important to them. For hotel chains that are aggressively ramping up their brand presence in Asia, customising guest experiences are key to their appeal. Whether it's through the design, ambience, facilities or personal touch, these hotels are wowing guests with their re-imagined approach, including a creative utilisation of social spaces to bring alive the vibes and energy of a buzzing community. There has never been a better time than now for planners to arrange for customised welcome experiences for their delegates, including thoughtful welcome gifts in their rooms or lavish welcome receptions in the lobby. So get updated on the expansion plans of top hotel chains (pg 18) and start thinking about getting your RFPs done. After the meetings are done, delegates look forward to enjoying a memorable gala dinner, and we hope that this issue's line-up of buzz- worthy unique venues (pg 40) will motivate you to make your mark in a big way. Enjoy the read and I hope you end the year with inspired thoughts and renewed dreams. I WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS. SEND EMAIL TO ESTHER.LEW@NTMLLC.COM Esther Faith Lew EDITOR-IN-CHIEF