Record response level from buyers

Further analysis of the corporate-buyer section reveals the most active industries in meetings and incentive activities across Asia Pacific. CEI Asia Pacific's readers include event organisers (17.4 per cent) who account for the lion's share of responses. A large percentage of readers also work in advertising, finance and manufacturing. Underlining the point, the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, IBM Broadcast and Ingersoll Rand Construction Technologies are among some of the international companies which have recently held events in the region, and who also use CEI Asia Pacific as a guide for planning their events. The survey also reveals that our readers LEVEL OF SENIORITY OF OUR READERS are the people who pull the strings when it comes to organising (58.1 per cent) or choosing a supplier to help organise events (30.9 per cent). REGIONAL RESPONSES An analysis of respondents by region reflects CEI Asia Pacific's focus to target the regional headquarters of the major multinationals. Unsurprisingly, the overwhelming majority of respondents are based in Singapore (31 per cent), Hong Kong (25 per cent) and Malaysia (11 per cent). This confirms the position of these three markets as the most sophisticated buyers of meetings and incentives. Australia accounted for seven per cent of responses; and China, India and Thailand claimed five per cent of the vote each. Singapore brings to the table an excellent track record and experience in organising large-scale and prestigious international events. Singapore has hosted some of the world's most prestigious vents, including SIBOS 2003, the World Economic Forum and the 117th International Olympic Committee Session in 2005 and the 2006 Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group (Singapore 2006) in September. EXCELLENT SERVICES Conference and meeting organisers looking for excellent services and easy access will continue to find Hong Kong attractive. HKCEC has already confirmed more than ten regional and international conferences with over 500 delegates in 2007. The Evolution Yoga Conference, which will be held at the HKCEC in June 2007, is expecting 5,000 delegates. Malaysia's meetings and incentives industry has enjoyed another good year. The KLCC has acted as the catalyst to draw conventions, enabling the country to compete in the CEI market on a global level. More than 1.2 million people have attended 360 events at the the venue during 2006. Highlights included the 39th Asean Ministerial Meeting, catering for more than 7,300 delegates. July saw the 18th FIGO World Congress of Gynaecology & Obstetrics in November, attended by more than 8,200 delegates. This year's survey adds significantly to where the industry is heading and gives a detailed understanding at how key decisionmakers shape the region's CEI market.