SINGAPORE - Reed Travel Exhibitions has postponed the inaugural edition of IBTM Asia Pacific in Singapore to 13-14 April 2021. The event was to be held at Marina Bay Sands this April.

KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur has launched its Smart Trade Zone (STZ) platform, to encourage businesses to converge and harvest leads.

PERTH – Business Events Perth has snagged the bid to host Asia Pacific’s largest agri-tech trade event in 2021, which is expected to bring some 1,500 delegates into Western Australia.

Hotel profitability is very much dependant on customer loyalty and according to recent figures from Roiback, a specialist in the management of the direct channel of hotel sales, a loyal and regular customer can spend 67% more than a new one. A loyal guest allows the hotel to reduce the acquisition cost if the customer reserves through the direct channel instead from another platform.

CHINA - China hotels could rebound quickly if statistics from the COVID-19 outbreak follow a similar trend from the SARS outbreak in 2003. STR, which provides data benchmarking and marketplace insights for the hospitality industry, claims that recovery around the current COVID-19 outbreak might follow a similar timeline.

MANILA - The Tourism Promotions Board Philippines (TPB) has a new COO, Ms Maria Anthonette C Velasco-Allones. She takes over from Marie Venus Q Tan, who has retired from government service.

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced last week that Hong Kong received 3.2 million visitor arrivals in January 2020, representing a daily average of 100,000, a 53% drop from 200,000 in the first half of 2019.

BANGKOK - Banyan Tree Bangkok’s newest product, Saffron Cruises, has garnered enthusiastic response since its launch last November, having hosted more than 10 buyout groups within 3 months.

SiteMinder’s annual look at where bookings come from reveals that direct bookings via a hotel website are holding on to their position in the top five in rankings, or have climbed year-over-year.

HONG KONG – Swiss-Belhotel International has soft launched its first Malaysian property – the 366-room Swiss-Belhotel Kuantan. The four-star property is part of the larger Kuantan Waterfront Resort City mixed-used development project.

HO CHI MINH CITY – Vietjet has opened up five direct routes to India, linking its largest cities of Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City with New Delhi and Mumbai starting this May.

BARCELONA – Organisers of Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world’s biggest mobile technology fair, are cancelling the event over worries about China’s ongoing viral outbreak.

SINGAPORE - Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is embarking on a series of roadshows this quarter that will venture into new territories and visit mature ones as well. The CVB was in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore last week to meet with some 80 DMCs.

AUCKLAND - New Zealand is marking a larger presence at AIME 2020 in response to greater interest from international groups. A team of 28 industry experts will make up the 100% Pure New Zealand stand, seeking to inspire delegates on NZ’s latest business events updates and offerings. AIME 2020 takes place this week from Feb 17 to 19 in Melbourne.