Bangkok hosts a hit - Sep 01

The hotel industry is well-acquainted with conference organisation, so when global hotel representation specialist Utell invited its Asia Pacific customer base to its first regional conference, accessibility, first-rate facilities, accommodation and a diverse programme were essential. Utell's in-house event department took this criteria and, working with Diethelm Events on the programme, selected Bangkok as the location. "Bangkok was one of the most accessible points for the majority of our hotel members and it offers great hospitality at affordable prices," Utell senior vice-president Asia Pacific Mr Kelvin Seah says. Almost half of Utell's customer base in Asia Pacific - representing 340 hotels chains attended the conference which took place between July 1 and 3 at the city's Sofitel Central Plaza. "We chose this hotel because of its good reputation and the conference facilities it offers," Mr Seah adds. He was particularly impressed with the hotel's relationship with Utell. "From the site inspection until after the conference, there was constant senior hotel management involvement and assurance nothing would be left to chance," he says. It was critical for Utell to ensure interaction between its management team and its customers, and for the conference to be regarded as an important one-to-one platform. This prompted the theme of "New Horizons - Reach for the Stars" to be selected for the event. The theme was echoed in a speech by Utell president and chief operation officer Mr Mark Wells. Managing director Mr Michael Prager also focused on partnership and planning. Alongside the speeches, panel discussions with industry leaders took place, including "Consortia - here today, gone tomorrow" and "We are online, so what next?" "Managing and optimising the businesses also prompted seminars on revenue and yield, eBusiness, reservations, Utell's marketing programmes and training on Utell's products and exhibitions showcasing these products and services," Mr Seah adds. To lighten the serious nature of the conference, themed coffee breaks were introduced. Themes included Chinese, Garden, Thai and Beach. "The objective of having different coffee breaks was to allow delegates to savour the different types of snacks prepared by the hotel's chefs and to feel 'perked up' after a short coffee break," Mr Seah explains. Guests were encouraged to dine at the Chinese, Vietnamese and Italian restaurants at the hotel on the second night. "The dine-around-the-hotel concept allows delegates to dine in smaller groups which, again, allows for easier networking," Mr Seah adds. The programme culminated in a gala event; a dinner cruise on the Chao Praya River accompanied by Thai traditional dancing and karaoke. While Utell is still gathering feedback from all the delegates on whether another conference should be organised in Asia next year, this first-time regional conference was well received. "The seminar programmes were detailed and helped address specific issues through one-to-one interactions," Taj Hotels, Resorts & Palaces manager global distribution operations Mr Himanshu Singh says. The Avillion Hotel Sydney general manager Mr Joseph Skipps agrees. "I found the conference to be informative and fruitful," he says.