With Zoom fatigue on the rise and an enduring fourth wave of coronavirus infections creating start-stop MICE momentum in Hong Kong, could a post-Covid world see a turn to the outdoors for cleaner, more open-air events?

I first heard the term ‘hybrid meetings’ back in May 2018 — I was attending IMEX Frankfurt and met Maarten Vanneste, president of the Meeting Design Institute. Vanneste had just published his new book, Multi Hub Meetings, and was very eager to share this new model to the industry, having recently organised the FRESH Meeting Design Conference 2017 as a five-city multi hub event.

Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) has made the move to deepen its commitment to one of its most important markets, China, with the launch of multiple Chinese platforms to stay connected with clients.

Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) has launched green meeting packages at its eco-friendly hotels in Singapore, Parkroyal Collection Pickering and Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has renamed itself IHG Hotels & Resorts, while concurrently unveiling a fresh logo and full reorganisation its 16-brand portfolio.

Korea has been selected as host country for the 45th COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Scientific Assembly 2024, the largest academic event in the field of space research.

The Londoner Macao, the latest integrated resort project developed by Sands China to the tune of US$1.9 billion (MOP15.2 billion), will finally launch today, 8 February.

‘Zoom Fatigue’ is now afflicting hundreds of millions of workers. The truth is most online meetings are really bad. They ramble, lack relevance. And I’m not just talking about internal meetings, ‘professionally’ run virtual conferences can be the worst offenders.

Despite a small outbreak of locally-transmitted Covid-19 cases in January, Taipei's long streak of zero domestic cases (since April 2020) has allowed the Taiwanese capital to reboot its MICE industry.

Blazing a trail for post-COVID meetings, Singapore recently hosted the Global Broadcast Centre for the Professional Convention Management Association’s (PCMA) Convening Leaders 2021 conference. Highly revered as “the event for event professionals”, this year marked the first time the event was held out of North America in 64 years. Close to 300 people met at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, while also connecting with PCMA’s global community online.

The negative Covid-19 test result, purportedly from a company called Tri-Alta Laboratory Corp., would look real enough to most eyes. It even has a disclaimer at the bottom cautioning that a negative test doesn't rule out infection.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a new vision to inject contemporary aesthetics and community vibes to the 80-year-old brand.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has postponed its Special Annual Meeting in Singapore due to ongoing global travel restrictions and challenges in containing the pandemic.

Another round of lockdowns, possible suspension of a major sporting event, and more cancelled business events continue to besiege the business events circle in Melbourne.