Best MICE Sales Team

1 Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts
2 Suntec Singapore
3 Venetian Macau

A company’s sales strategy is a crucial part of its survival during an economic downturn, and this year the teams at Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, Suntec Singapore and the Venetian Macau have proven their worth in the Best MICE Sales Team category.

Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts remains top of the list with CEI Asia readers, receiving almost a quarter of all votes. The group launched an energetic sales drive last year, with the MaxiMice promotion in May, which offered organisers a 10 per cent credit on a second event at any Shangri-La hotel, resort or Traders hotel.

In addition, its Signature Events programme is aimed at streamlining event management at its hotels. As part of its sales strategy review, the group put together a dedicated events sales teams focused on venue selection, budget planning and event creation. Meanwhile, a separate event management team took responsibility for coordination of the event.

The hotel group’s vice-president of sales and marketing, Barbara Pang, says: “Shangri-La recognises the importance of the meetings and incentive market. The key to sustaining our position is innovation.”

Suntec Singapore, last year’s third-place getter, improved its ranking to runner-up. The convention and exhibition centre hosted several major events this year including the Asia Television Forum and APEC 2009 Leaders Week. In 2010 events include the World Congress of Biomechanics (1,500 delegates), the 13th International Conference on Emergency Medicine (1,500), and the Asia Pacific Congress of Allerology and Clinical Immunology (1,200).

“With 2009 being an eventful year and our events calendar looking remarkable for 2010, we will continue in our commitment and dedication in service excellence for our industry partners and our guests,” says CEO Pieter Idenburg. “We will continue to enhance our products and service and look at various (new) international strategies that expand our business and increase our brand value.”

The venue is the official convention centre partner the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Venetian Macau remains among Asia’s top-ranked sales teams and spent the latter half of 2009 rolling out its ‘Yes’ campaign in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Jakarta, Korea and Japan. The sales blitz was aimed at reinforcing the hotel’s flexible approach and ability to meet the needs of event organisers.

Venetian Macau’s senior vice-president of sales and marketing Mark Russell, says: “We hope to change the way meetings and company incentives are organised. We are ready to adapt ourselves to the business environment and do whatever it takes to meet the needs of our customers. We’re seeing good pick-up as we close out the year and we’re optimistic about 2010.”