More cities in Asia-Pacific are showing brighter economic promise and greater infrastructure investments, and they are winning over association events. Here are the available convention centres in these destinations
AUSTRALIA
Adelaide Convention Centre, South Australia
Sitting on the banks of River Torrens and surrounded by lush greenery, the Adelaide Convention Centre is a refreshing venue for business events in the heart of Adelaide’s city centre.
Opened in 1987, the centre is undergoing an extensive phased redevelopment project to ensure it answers event needs today and into the future.
The first phase – West Building – started operations in March 2015, just as the original plenary building was demolished to make way for the East Building, slated for completion in 2017, in time for the International Astronautical Congress.
Extending westwards over the railway lines to link with Morphett Street Bridge and with its own entrance, the West Building houses the Panorama Ballroom which can sit 1,000 pax for a meeting or conference and be divided into three smaller spaces; a multi-functional hall that can be sub-divided into six configurations, thanks to the use of large retractable lighting grids that allow even ceiling heights to be adjusted; and a mobile plenary facility for up to 3,500 people.
What’s new Phase two of the A$400 million expansion – the construction of East Building – is proceeding as planned. It celebrated its ‘topping out’ milestone in January this year, and its bronze-colour, zinc façade has been unveiled. It will have capacity for 3,500 people.
Recent association events The Australian Veterinary Association Conference, May 2016; The Australian Earth Sciences Convention, June 2016; Australian Chapter of the Association of Old Crows Convention, October 2016
Website www.adelaidecc.com.au
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Queensland
The successful host venue for the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) is located on Brisbane’s South Bank, also home to the Gallery of Modern Art and Queensland Museum, among many other major attractions.
Operated by AEG Ogden, BCEC features 44 meeting rooms, with capacity for eight to 8,000 delegates and an ability to support five concurrent conferences. In addition, there are three stand-alone auditoria and 20,000m2 of exhibition space.
There are 73 hotels within four kilometres of the Centre including two – Mantra South Bank and Rydges South Bank – directly adjacent.
What’s new Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2016, BCEC unveiled its Great Hall’s A$1.5 million (US$1.15 million) makeover in February, which features new tiered seating, carpets and lighting, and a fresh colour palette in hues of purple. Also in February, the Centre launched a new brand with ‘Next Level’ as the focus of its messaging as well as a mobile friendly website for conference organisers on the go. In July, BCEC was voted the World’s Best Convention Centre at the Annual General Assembly of the International Association of Congress Centres in Nantes, France.
Recent association events World STI & HIV Conference 2015 and Australasian HIV and AIDS Conference, September 2015; ASFA National Conference & Super Expo, November 2015; International Conference on Traffic and Transport Psychology, August 2016
Website www.bcec.com.au
CHINA
Shenyang New World EXPO, Liaoning
The Shenyang New World EXPO offers 24,000m2 of exhibition space in the form of two halls, and 4,000m2 of meeting and conference space in the form of a convention hall and 17 meeting rooms of varied sizes.
Its has a Venue Services & Safety Department that tackles front line relations, venue safety, crowd management and security.
It is also directly connected to an underground train station, two hotels and a 260,000m2 shopping mall.
What’s new Officially opening in March 2017, the Shenyang New World EXPO is the newest venue to in northeast China. Being new has its benefits – it boasts modern technology of world standards which can support the most demanding events.
Months ahead of its official opening, a special arrangement was made for the venue to host the 2016 Annual National Planning Conference in September, the annual meeting of the Urban Planning Society of China.
Recent association events 2016 Annual National Planning Conference, September 2016
Website www.shenyangnwexpo.com
Zhengzhou International Convention and Exhibition Centre, henan
There are six levels of multi-purpose function space at the Zhengzhou International Convention and Exhibition Centre (ZZICEC), offering 60,800m2 of space altogether.
In its inventory is the Grand Hall, which can seat 3,160 people theatre-style, the International Theatre for 1,090 people, two theatres for 400 people each, 17 meeting rooms of varied sizes, VIP reception rooms, a Chinese restaurant, a Western restaurant and a cafe.
ZZICEC is able to provide simultaneous interpretation for up to eight languages.
What’s new The signage system that supports event information and commercial advertisements was upgraded to LED.
Recent association events The 14th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Prime Ministers Meeting, December 2015
Website www.zzicec.com
Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Center, Guangdong
Located in Zhuhai Shizimen Central Business District, Wan Zai Area, the Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Center (ZHCEC) is a fully integrated facility with a convention and exhibition centre, three hotels with more then 1,200 rooms, a concert hall, an opera hall under one roof.
A relatively young venue compared to others of its kind in China, ZHCEC completed its phase one development in October 2014, offering 33,000m2 of exhibition space with a 3,000m2 exterior area and 34,000m2 of convention space that is made up of a divisible Grand Ballroom, 45 meeting rooms and a banquet kitchen that can produce meals for up to 10,000 guests.
What’s new None
Recent association events 2015 Annual Academic Conference of Nephrology Branch of Chinese Medical Association, November 2015; 2016 Annual Meeting of CCEES and China (Zhuhai) EXPO Forum, April, 2016
Website www.zhuhaicec.com
INDIA
Lavasa International Convention Centre, Maharashtra
Lavasa International Convention Centre (LICC) is a convention facility at the planned cosmopolitan city of Lavasa, near Pune. It is spread over 6,070m2 of land, with 3,300m2 available for conventions. Event spaces are pillar-less and boast vibrant interiors to break the monotony of long conferences. The lakeside foyer adds to the leisurely ambience of the centre.
LICC is able to support exotic themes and has its own hospitality specialists to help clients execute events of varied nature.
What’s new LICC now offers a steadfast Cisco tele-presence facility, eight language simulcast interpretation console, ceiling mounted high definition cameras for live web-casting, video conferencing facility, a wide network of floor points for video projection, telephone, Internet and sound outputs, ceiling mounted dropdown screen and a network of ceiling mounted speaker system.
Recent association events Corneal Society of India’s Keracon 2016, December
Website www.licc.in
INDONESIA
Novotel Manado Golf Resort and Convention Centre, North Sulawesi
Novotel Manado Golf Resort and Convention Centre, part of the Grand Kawanua International City in Manado, is a modern architecture with state-of-the-art conference facilities. The 2,226m2 Grand Kawanua Ballroom can accommodate up to 2,500 people and be divided into three smaller spaces, while the 555m2 Junior Ballroom is suitable for 400 people and be divided into four meetings rooms.
What’s new It now offers high-speed wired and wireless Internet connectivity in the lobby and ballrooms, as well as LCD projectors and sound systems.
Recent association events World Coral Reef Conference, May 2014
Website www.novotelmanado.com/ www.accorhotels.com/7342
Santika Premiere Dyandra Hotel & Convention, North Sumatra
Facilities Located in the heart of Medan, the Santika Premiere Dyandra Hotel & Convention houses the largest convention facility in the city. Also referred to as Santika Dyandra Convention Center, the venue is built to international standards and offers a built-in sound system, wireless high-speed Internet and other technology support.
In all the centre has capacity for more than 3,000 people, and can be divided into four spacious rooms, each capable of accommodating up to 500 people.
Recent association events Asian Apostolic Congress on Mercy, October 2015; Pameran Otomotif Medan, April 2015
Website www.santika.com
SKA Convention and Exhibition Center, Sumatra
Recognised by its shorter name, ska Co Ex sits in a business district in Pekanbaru and is managed by Swiss-Belhotel International. It houses a 2,119m2 multifunctional ballroom that can be converted into four smaller function rooms, five mid-sized function rooms for 100 to 200 guests, and luxurious facilities for VIP guests such as a suite, a separate VIP elevator and butler services.
What’s new A Chinese restaurant will open soon.
Recent association events Not available
Website skaconvention.swiss-belhotel.com
JAPAN
Sendai International Center, Tohoku
The Sendai International Center offers two halls and twelve conference rooms across three floors as well as outdoor facilities that can be used by both event delegates and the general public. All are feature modern events equipment.
The main halls span 1,150m2 and can seat 1,000 people. They also provide simultaneous interpretation facility for up to six languages.
Other facilities include an information centre and a cafe on the ground level.
A key advantage of the Sendai International Center is its convenient location. It is four minutes by subway from Sendai Station, which itself is 90 minutes from Tokyo by bullet train.
What’s new The centre was substantially upgraded in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, although Sendai was largely spared from the disaster. The largest addition to the centre is the year-old exhibition hall while the newly opened Tozai Subway line, which puts a station adjacent to the centre, has helped to improve the venue’s access.
Recent association events Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, March 2015; 80th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society, March 2016; G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting, Sendai Welcome Reception, May 2016
Website www.aobayama.jp/english/
SOUTH KOREA
Holiday Inn Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort and InterContinental Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort, Gangwon
More than just a popular destination for ski enthusiasts and winter holiday-makers, Pyeongchang has been able to attract business meetings with a wide selection of event venues at both the contemporary Holiday Inn Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort and the luxury InterContinental Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort.
Holiday Inn Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort’s Alpensia Convention Centre has halls and 15 meeting rooms, and support gatherings of up to 2,500 people.
InterContinental Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort has the Alpensia Grand Ballroom for 1,500 guests in theatre style as well as 13 meeting rooms.
What’s new None
Recent association events Not available
Website www.ihg.com/holiday innresorts/hotels/us/en/gangwon-do/kagpr/hoteldetail/events-facilities;
www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/gangwon-do/kagha/hoteldetail
/meetings-events
MALAYSIA
Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, Sarawak
Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on the Kuching Isthmus can host major international conventions for up to 5,000 delegates, exhibitions of up to 787 booths and smaller events. The pillar-free Great Hall is complemented by 14 meeting rooms, extensive registration and foyer space, and a world-class restaurant, The Raintree, which can customise menus and offers catering services.
What’s new Since early 2016, BCCK has complemented its traditional event venues with a catamaran that is perfect for social gatherings. Named Sayang Sarawak, the vessel can accommodate up to 40 people in theatre-style on the lower deck and 30 people in cocktail fashion on the upper deck. Event packages and catering services can be customised.
Organisers hiring Sayang Sarawak have a choice of two routes, from Kuching Waterfront to BCCK and from the Isthmus jetty up to the mouth of the Sarawak River.
Recent association events 24th Asian and Oceanic Congress of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, June 2015; Asia for Animals Conference Borneo 2015, October 2015
Website www.bcck.com.my
SPICE Convention Centre, Penang
Opening in 1Q2017, SPICE Convention Centre is one of five key components making up the Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Centre (SPICE), an integrated development by local developer, S P Setia Group.
Its 4,546m2 Grand Ballroom on the subterranean floor is suitable for large events, and can be divided into four smaller spaces via operable wall partition. The ballroom can seat 8,000 people theatre-style, and is supported by two VIP serviced rooms and 13 smaller function rooms, both on the lower and ground floors. Atop SPICE Convention Centre is a rooftop park, a 2.8-hectare ‘green lung’ that can be used for outdoor events, weather permitting.
Website www.setiaspice.com/convention-centre.aspx
PHILIPPINES
Henann Alona Beach Resort Convention Center, Bohol
Opened last year as part of the 400-room luxury Henann Resort in Panglao, Bohol, the convention centre is the first venue of its kind in the Philippine province.
The three-storey convention centre can seat up to 1,000 pax or host a cocktail party for 1,500, and has 13 breakout rooms and meeting rooms for 30 to 90 people each.
Unlike most convention centres, Henann Alona Beach Resort Convention Center adopts a resort setting on the beachfront. It will become more accessible once Panglao’s international airport begins operations within the next few years.
Recent association events Not available
Website henann.com/bohol/henannalonabeach/explore/convention-center
SMX Convention Center, Davao
Opened in late 2012, SMX Convention Center in Davao is the largest and first privately-owned and managed convention and exhibition centre in the destination. It sits within SM Lanang Premier mall and is linked by a footbridge to Park Inn by Radisson Hotel.
The centre can accommodate up to 5,500 pax across all its meetings spaces, including 5,320 guests in its three function rooms and 230 guests in its five meeting rooms. The1,292m2 pre-function lobby can also be used for a variety of events.
What’s new None
Recent association events World Food Expo Mindanao, June 2016; Manufacturing Technology World Davao, September 2016; HVAC/R Davao, September 2016
Website www.smxdavao.com
TAIWAN
International Convention Center Kaohsiung
Located in a downtown area with plentiful five-star hotels and local restaurants, the International Convention Center Kaohsiung welcomes events of all sizes, from meetings for 20 people to conferences for 1,800 people. It can also house 460 exhibition booths.
The centre’s exhibition hall allows for multi-level booths and elaborate displays, while conference halls has movable partitions.
What’s new The International Convention Center Kaohsiung upgraded its air-conditioning system this year, as well as its safety features such as the addition of a wall between escalators on the first and third floors for enhanced fire prevention.
Recent association events 2015 International EcoMobility Forum, September 2015; Annual Meeting of Taiwan Society of Nephrology, November 2015; Kaohsiung International Invention & Design Expo, December 2015
Website www.icck.com.tw
Kaohsiung Exhibition Center
The waterfront Kaohsiung Exhibition Center features 25,000 m² of indoor and outdoor event spaces. These comprise two 9,000m2 halls, a conference venue for up to 4,000 people, VIP rooms and a press centre. Simultaneous interpretation services and free Wi-Fi are available.
What’s new Kaohsiung Exhibition Center implemented the Event Sustainability Management System (ISO 20121) in April 2016. To successfully obtain this certification by the end of 2016, the venue must contribute to three dimensions of sustainability – economic, environmental and social.
Recent hardware enhancements include lighting and air-conditioning upgrades in the conference hall, while a landscaping project is slated to complete end-2016.
Recent association events Taiwan Dermatology Aesthetic Conference and Taiwanese Dermatological Association Spring Meeting, April 2015; Annual Global Health Conference, November 2015; International Conference On Hydrogen Energy in Kaohsiung, March 2016; Taiwan Orthopedic Association Regional Meeting, April 2016; APASL Single Topic Conference on Hepatitis C, June 2016; 18th International Congress on Plasma Physics, June 2016
Website www.kecc.com.tw
THAILAND
Avani Khon Kaen Hotel and Convention Centre
Facilities A four-star, 196-room hotel located in the heart of the growing Khon Kaen city, Khon Kaen province, Avani Khon Kaen Hotel and Convention Centre offers a range of flexible spaces for meetings of up to 2,000 people. The main convention centre houses eight function rooms across 4,000m2, and opens up to a pre-function area, gardens and pool. These spaces can be further split into smaller rooms to suit the event.
What’s new The biggest change recently has been ownership. As of July 1, the hotel and convention centre formerly operated by Centara became part of Minor Hotels Group and was rebranded as an Avani property.
Recent association events Sixth International Conference on Local Government, September 2015
Website www.minorhotels.com/en/avani/khon-kaen
Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre
With 60,000m2 of usable space, including a flexible exhibition hall spanning up to 7,938m2 and two large conventional halls, the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre (CMECC) is prepared for all manner of national and international events. There are 29 meeting rooms, plus a large outdoor space and a second building dedicated to small and medium-sized business events with a smaller exhibition hall, product display hall, meeting rooms and office for rent.
Located 10 minutes from the city centre and 15 minutes from Chiang Mai International Airport, CMECC is close to hotels ranging from two- to five-stars, shopping malls and restaurants.
What’s new None
Recent association events International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics Asia/Oceanic Regional Congress, October 2015; Asian Golf Tourism Convention, April 2016; Royal College of Orthopaedic Surgeons Thailand and Asean Orthopaedic Association combined meeting, October 2016
Website www.cmecc-mice.com
