Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has again been recognised as the Best MICE Sales Team in Asia for the second consecutive year, with the Venetian Macau’s sales team improving its 2008 ranking with a second-place finish. The MICE sales teams at leading convention and exhibition centres Suntec Singapore and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre tied for third place.

Kent Zhu, group director of sales and marketing, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, says: “One of Shangri-La’s key successes is attributed to the group’s ‘winning’ site inspection standards.

“The group has also reviewed the selling process of its sales force as part of the ‘Signature Events’ programme and a heightened awareness of the environment and the effects of tourism on local communities has resulted in a number of innovative Shangri-La initiatives,” says Zhu.

The Venetian Macau continues to drive Macau’s MICE push with new facilities and services including Key Express Check-In. For pre-registered delegates, checking-in is simply a matter of collecting a room key from the front desk, whether arriving as a group or individually. The average check-in time for groups using this service is less than ten seconds.

Joseph To, the Venetian’s vice-president of sales, says: “Being voted as the first runner-up of the Best MICE Sales Team in Asia award is a sound encouragement to the efforts demonstrated by the entire team. “The recognition also proves our support to the Macau SAR government’s vision to use the gaming sector as a basis to grow a diversified economy, in particular the convention and exhibition business.”

Suntec Singapore has extensive resources to assist associations when bidding for international meetings. Close ties to the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau, and other government bodies, allows Suntec to handle all aspects of a bid.

The team will also assist with site inspections by international officials, provide financial assistance for expenses related to the bid and prepare budget and income projections.

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre prides itself on offering personalised guidance on all aspects of an event. Assistance covers food, beverage, audiovisual and IT to aid the conceptualisation of themes, set design and decor, seating arrangements, event flow and execution.

Peter Brokenshire, general manager, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, says: “Affectionately hailed as ‘the engine’ of the Centre, the team has worked long and hard to secure more than 1,700 events since our opening in June 2005, contributing more than US$500,000 to the city.

“It is through the team’s ongoing efforts that the Centre has contributed to the growth of the events industry in Malaysia.”