Centres express caution on future trends

LEADERS of the three most active convention and exhibition centres in the region are preparing to have a clearer picture of the effects on business in the coming weeks. Due to the long-range bookings the centres operate with, all three - Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney - said there had been no immediate cancellations but indicated there was a need to monitor long-term trends. Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre general manager Mr Ton van Amerongen said there had been no immediate reaction to the terrorist attacks. He believed regional destinations would have to bid for events from Asia Pacific-based companies which previously took their events out of the region. "To date we have not noticed any significant changes. It is a little too early to predict accurately the effects on our industry," he said. "We are predicting Asia Pacific could, in the medium term, actually increase in popularity for regional conferences and events, with a strong flow-on to Sydney." Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre managing director Mr Cliff Wallace said he would also be in a stronger position to analyse long-term impacts as the issue continues to unfold. "It would be naive to anticipate anything but some degree of negative impact on the CEI industry worldwide due to the horrendous events in the US on September 11 and the associated events following," he said. Suntec Singapore chief executive officer Mr Warren Buckley added the full impact of the terrorist crises would not be known for some time yet.