Kaohsiung’s city government has been hard at work building brand-new infrastructure and setting up MICE alliances
The success of the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, has proven the port city’s capability in organising international events and led to a slew of major international events for the destination.
In 2013 Kaohsiung welcomed the Asia-Pacific Cities Summit, followed by Taiwan International Fastener Show, Taiwan Boat Show and AIESEC International Congress in 2014. Last year, it hosted the 2015 International Harbor Cities Conference, while the Global Harbor Cities Forum just concluded in September.
Recognising the value of the business events sector, the Kaohsiung city government has established the Kaohsiung MICE Alliance to put up a stronger fight with rival MICE destinations. This alliance not only covers the resources of southern Taiwan (comprising the cities of Kaohsiung, Tainan, Pingtung and Penghu), but it also combines resources from the industry, government and academia. Currently, there are 10 conference ambassadors and 138 members in the alliance.
The city government has also initiated the Asian New Bay Area redevelopment project which features four major building projects – the existing Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre (KEC), Kaohsiung Main Public Library, as well as the soon-to-be-built Maritime Cultural and Popular Music Center and Kaohsiung Port Terminal. The Asian New Bay Area will be supported by a light rail system for greater accessibility.
Kaohsiung’s stand in the global MICE scene will get a further boost with national MICE body Meet Taiwan’s recent efforts to promote second- and third-tier cities in Taiwan for business events. Kaohsiung Meeting & Event Promotion Office now enjoys help and support from Meet Taiwan.
Meet Taiwan’s deputy executive director, Lily Su, said: “We no longer rely just on Taipei (to attract international events). Kaohsiung is an ideal option as its infrastructure is taking shape. For instance, the KEC and the Kaohsiung Main Public Library are stylish spaces that enhance the venue options in the city.”
The Kaohsiung Main Public Library offers a 182m2 multifunctional conference room and a 1,375m2 auditorium, while the waterfront KEC has 13 meeting rooms and two main halls that have capacity for 1,424 exhibition booths.
KEC vice president, Robert Campbell, said 70 per cent of business at the centre comes from exhibitions while conferences make up 30 per cent. However, the latter has been “expanding quite nicely”.
Campbell said: “Since (KEC’s) inception, occupancy has grown from 17 per cent to 22 per cent last year. Hopefully, it will exceed 30 per cent this year.”
However, venues alone are not enough to make a destination attractive for events. Local industry players are hoping for more opportunities to inject creativity into event programmes.
Lion Travel’s director of exhibition & convention travel service department, Joy Tsai, said: “I hope to see more vibrant elements that can excite delegates. For instance, The Pier-2 Art Center could be (a unique) venue for teambuilding and themed events. Also, (planners should be able to work) with yacht clubs (to organise) cruises (on luxury yachts) or waterfront parties for small-sized, high-end groups.”
Illustrating the opportunities to deliver creative events in Kaohsiung, Tsai told TTGassociations that his company had recently hosted an outdoor dinner for 200 guests at the Confucius Temple in Kaohsiung. The meal was prepared by a team of private chefs who whipped up Taiwanese favourites, while live Chinese music entertained the crowd.
Ably Conference and Exhibition, project manager, Paul Chuang, added that Kaohsiung could make available opportunities for visiting event delegates to do good for the local community.
“In the last two years, we have seen a growing need (for such activities), beyond going to the usual sightseeing spots,” Chuang said.
Citing an example, Chuang said a group of 600 delegates from a cosmetic firm in Shanghai had asked to work with a primary school in Kaohsiung to sell the students’ handicraft to raise funds for charity.
Patti Tang, director with Taiwan-based PCO Willy Event Consultant, opined that Kaohsiung is often perceived as “an industrial hub without much history”, so spotlighting its arts and culture would help improve its appeal among event planners.
There is also a need for the city to expand its inventory of five-star hotels to do well among incentive event planners, according to Ambassador Hotel Kaohsiung’s director of sales, Paul Hsu.
Hsu, who hopes to court a larger number of incentive business, said more rooms in the city are needed to accommodate huge incentive groups but there are only a limited number of five-star hotels.
