Corporate getaways

With the political unrest far away in Bangkok and the physical impact of the tsunami lessening by the day, Thailand's resort offerings for conferences, meetings and incentive business has never been in better shape. Phuket has recovered quickly and is once again commanding the attention of event buyers. There is a lot of activity on the island, such as the rebranding of the Pearl Village to be the Indigo Pearl. Luxurious, spacious and secluded, the sprawling 290-room resort is homing in on companies in Asia-Pacific and Europe for meeting and incentive business. Heading their entertainment offerings are a Thai-themed dinner at Black Ginger restaurant surrounded by candle floats in a lake and a formal gala dinner with amphitheatre-style shows. Destinations such as Hua Hin and Koh Samui are also emerging as strong incentive buys as infrastructure improves and corporates are keen to use new and unspoilt destinations that are easily accessible from Bangkok. Flights and greater lift from key regional feeder markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore are increasing too, especially in the case of Koh Samui, with Bangkok Airways running scheduled services. Local options Hua Hin, in contrast, is three hours by road from Bangkok or a quick hop on Siam General Aviation from Bangkok. With a capacity of just 12 people per plane it will make no significant impact on transport logistics, but it can still be used for either novelty or for a small gathering of executives. The new Dusit Convention Hall, plus the Sheraton Hua Hin opening up recently, have further added to the rise of Hua Hin as a conference, exhibition and incentive (CEI) destination. While there is a bright future for these emerging destinations, the star is really beginning to shine again on the grand dame of Thailand's resorts. AKAHotel Resort & Spa, an all-pool villa property, is the latest addition of luxury accommodation in Hua Hin. The resort was opened on April 1. It is in Hin Lek Fai Village near Hua Hin town, a five-minute drive to Hua Hin Beach. It covers an area of around four hectares and features 55 private pool villas. Each comes with a 10m infinity pool, garden shower, outdoor sunken bathtub, spa pavilion and spacious villa-dining corner. Facilities include a swimming pool, three F&B outlets, a spa, conference room for 50 people, business centre, library with internet access and childcare centre. Pattaya has had a mixed career. Over a period of 30 years the kingdom's first beach resort has gone from boomtown to notorious town — polluted and sleazy — and back again. However, its resilience is really now beginning to tell as the destination has expanded greatly with the nightlife in the southern part of the city and an increasing number of new upscale hotels in the northern part. The destination has been cleaned up, smart roads are in place and it is now competing heavily for CEI business, with a value offer-ing and world-class infrastructure that is hard to ignore. Add to this the opening at the end of this year of the new Bangkok International Airport, which will cut the transfer time to a little over an hour and it would be no exaggeration to say that Pattaya is the kingdom's new hot destination for CEI business. Hotel upgrades Alook at what is happening in the hotel sector provides clear evidence of this with all the big international players soon opening. Sheraton recently launched near the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, which handles the popular PEACH exhibition facility, with the Hyatt, Hilton and Le Meridien brands to soon follow suit. The recent soft opening of the Garden Cliff Resort & Spa Pattaya, a property managed by Sofitel, is a perfect example of the faith investors and hotel operators have in Pattaya. Located in a quite residential area, the 249- room Garden Cliff combines an elegance and sophistication with graceful Thai hospitality, state-of-the-art CEI facilities with a 370 sqm ballroom suitable for up to 300 delegates, plus three breakout rooms suited to groups of 40 each and a glorious seaview. The facilities opened in March and in that time 14 meetings have been held there, attracting brands such as Microsoft, Pfizer, Volvo and Standard Chartered Bank. "The feedback has been very positive," says general manager Nicolas Lerat, "with a lot interest been generated in a short period of time." Enquiries from the domestic market has been strong, as well as from Hong Kong, mainland China, Korea, Taiwan and Russia, which Lerat says is "growing quickly" for incentives. "There are more and more requests for teambuilding too, especially for water-based activities for which we charter boats," he adds. Good value Low season is a good time for CEI business, with strong rate value on offer to corporate buyers. The Garden Cliff is offering a deluxe seaview room for US$80, up to US$130 for a junior suite and up to US$210 for an executive suite room. The resort is in north Pattaya, 3km from the city centre and 147km (or an hour and 40 minutes by car) from Bangkok. Completed late last year, it is equipped with all the modern facilities associated with a five-star resort, including a luxurious spa and fitness centre. In the past Pattaya has attracted large numbers of budget travellers, mainly from the UK and Germany. But the mix is definitely shifting as more upscale visitors arrive from Asia and Russia looking for a combination of relaxation and business in a convenient and cost efficient location. "The market is changing and it is good to see," says Lerat. "Infrastructure is improving and the local authorities are very focused on preparing Pattaya for the future. New players are entering the market and hotels are upgrading or they will get left behind. "You can't change the past. They'll always be bad clichés but now we are facing a bright new future. It is now a very pleasant city. Pattaya is a destination people will always remember. It is a great city for entertainment and well suited to the CEI market with more than 20 international golf courses. "The opening of the new international airport in Bangkok will be a huge support. We are in north Pattaya and so are already close to Bangkok, but this will make us closer still. "There is no doubting the potential of the CEI market. It is now a case of fine tuning our product and marketing strategy. We are a casual five-star, upscale, elegant but relaxing. "We are out of Pattaya a bit and out of the turmoil. This is important. I'm very confident that this property will be a major success and very positive that Pattaya is bouncing back." Unique venue Next to Garden Cliff Resort and Spa is the Sanctuary of Truth temple, a labour of love for the owner who has spent the last 20 years constructing this huge wooden structure, free of nails or concrete, and meticulously carved throughout. As a backdrop for a gala dinner, on a small peninsula jutting out into the Gulf of Thailand, it provides the opportunity for a very memorable experience. Top destination management company, Diethelm Events (Thailand), are equally upbeat about Pattaya and its strength as a CEI destination. The firm will be at AIME 2006 in Melbourne, with the destination high on their promotional agenda. "While the beach resort has not been on the map for Australian and New Zealand meeting planners over the past decade, due to its poor reputation, we believe now is the time to look again at Pattaya," says executive manager David Barrett. He notes that large meetings of thousands can be held at PEACH while smaller meetings of incentives are well suited to the growing list of luxury resort properties.