Northstar

Feature COVER STORY 20 JAN-FEB 2019 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MCMAG-ASIA.COM DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS 2019 will see places like Bangkok and Shanghai continue to reign, while at the same time include the rise of new players in the regional M&E scene, such as Vietnam and the Philippines – countries with plenty of untapped potential and who are investing heavily in the industry to attract planners and delegates. Infrastructure will continue to be a top consideration for planners when choosing a destination, while cities will be leveraging on their unique selling points like natural attractions and opportunities for cultural immersion to incentivise delegates seeking a non-cookie-cutter experience. "In 2018, we found that Spain was the most demanded destination worldwide, specically Barcelona, followed by Madrid and Mallorca. In Asia Pacic, China and Hong Kong were the top trending destinations that attracted the greatest number of requests for proposals and operated events. We see these countries to be in high demand for not only 2019, but 2020. This year, emerging destinations we're seeing include Bhutan, Namibia, the Greater Bay of South China, Bordeaux, France and Bodrum, Turkey. Over the next few years, destinations to look out for are Sumba, Indonesia, Phu Quoc, Vietnam, Apulia, Italy and Gangneung, South Korea." – Patricia Silvio, global marketing manager, Pacic World, a global destination management company PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES Phu Quoc, Vietnam Gangneung, South Korea PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

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