Singapore, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Hong Kong are the top cities for meetings and events in Asia Pacific, according to the Asia Pacific Destination Report 2019.
Published by American Express Meetings & Events, a division of American Express Global Business Travel (GBT), the report surveyed 200 meetings & events professionals across the region focusing on the top five cities, as ranked by Cvent’s annual destinations list.
According to the research, 47% of meeting planners are seeing a strong interest in operating meetings within the region, while 63% expressed increasing interest.
“We anticipated that Asia Pacific would continue to rise in popularity globally as a meetings and events destination, but to see such a level of interest across a spectrum of cities is encouraging for the longer-term success of the region,” said Jamie Roseburgh, market leader, Singapore, India and ASEAN at American Express Meetings & Events.
The respondents said they enjoyed the relatively short travel times and the different cultural experiences that come within a wide variety of nearby destinations.
“As meeting planners face increased pressure to provide unique experiences, they can look to Asia Pacific as an appealing destination,” added Roseburgh.”
Despite the region’s rising popularity, the region is also facing challenges. The study identified potential language barriers across countries and rising costs as possible obstacles when deciding on a destination.
Costs are also rising faster than budgets with hotel rates within Asia Pacific expected to rise by an average of 1.1%, while overall meeting spend across the region is expected to rise by only 0.86%.
Commented Roseburgh: “Well-established global cities such as Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore are typically considered expensive for executing large-scale meetings or events. As planners are under increasing pressure to maximise every dollar spent, this may fuel greater interest in countries such as Vietnam and Thailand where new experiences can often be delivered at a lower price point.”
Here’s the full report: Asia Pacific Destination Report 2019
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