Meetings Matter Chatter
Industry trends and topics pertaining to the travel and meetings industry
Meetings Matter Chatter
Market Pulse: Asia Pacific
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In this episode recorded at our annual APAC Partner Summit in Bangkok, we bring together influential leaders from the Asia-Pacific markets we serve. We explore dynamic trends, emerging hot topics, and future outlooks shaping their sectors, while highlighting innovative business strategies, social change, and sustainability efforts that reflect the diverse perspectives and collaborative spirit of the region.
Hi there! Welcome to Meetings Matter Chatter. My name is Jenna Baker, and I'm the Vice President of Account Management at BCD, and I am your podcast host. Today I am really excited because I am broadcasting from Bangkok, Thailand, because BCD is hosting our annual APAC Partners Summit. So today's format for those listening is going to be a little bit different. Normally I'm just interviewing somebody one-on-one or a couple people. But in this case, I'm actually sitting or standing in a ballroom with about 30 people, and I'm going to ask different representatives from our different markets in Asia some questions. I've got lots of great questions, and I know that this group is going to give me some really great answers. But before I do that, I would like to say hello to Yeroon Diker, who is the vice president of our global network. Yeroun, hello.
SPEAKER_02Hello.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for being here, Yeroun. Can you start by explaining what the Partner Network is? What are we doing here? Why do we have this group of individuals?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's a nice question to start off with. So thank you for having me also in your podcast. The reason why we're here is that BCD decided somewhere in 2015 to expand our wholly owned footprint. Our wholly owned footprint contains 20 markets where we as BCD were fully represented and were managing our clients accordingly. In 2015, we found out that we had to expand our footprint, our worldwide footprint, and that challenge was laid on my table for me to find, identify, assess, and manage the future partners growing our footprint worldwide. So, as part of that assessment and identification of our new partners, we started working actively in a variety of spaces, and especially in APEC and in EMIA, we engage with a number of partners that are currently also here in this particular room. What we're doing is bringing our global clients to the partner markets, making sure that they represent BCD ME to the same standards, to the same governance, and to the same levels as any of our clients would expect from our wholly owned markets. So, if and when a client would engage us to start working on a global program, it would be part of my responsibility to make sure that all the partners are familiar with the do's and the don'ts with how to manage that particular account and making sure that they govern that they are governed and managing the program as similar as any of the wholly owned markets would be.
SPEAKER_00Thanks, Yeroon. We've got lots of markets represented in this room, as I mentioned, and so I'm going to speak with a couple of you to get some of your perspective. We're going to start with China. So Jennifer Ma is up. The first question is for you. You have been an official partner for BCD ME for a few years now, and you're working with lots of our key clients. What were your objectives in becoming a partner with BCD? Why did you choose to join our network?
SPEAKER_07Okay, uh in China, my objectives are clear. First, we need to increase our business volume by entering more new accounts that are brought by BCD meetings and events globally or regionally. And also, on the other hand, strengthen our bond with our current clients by making them aware that we are part of a global network and we are not only excellent locally but also under a global governance of BCD meetings and events. And with past five years, uh the partnership has proven to be a very successful one and definitely beneficial for both parties, I think. And we did actually achieve our objectives, and such partnership is still attracting more clients and channeling more business to China with BCD meetings and events referral.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, thanks, Jennifer. It's been very easy to refer business to China because you do such a fantastic job. I've got one other question for you. So we know that the return to business in the whole Asia Pacific region has been a little bit slower than the rest of the world after the pandemic. I was wondering how business meetings, business events, how have they evolved in China over the past few years post-pandemic?
SPEAKER_07Okay, yes, China is about a year behind the world in recovering from pandemic. Uh, because uh since 2023 we start our recovering. However, I think the market picked up quick at the very beginning. As for our company, as uh in 2023, we recovered about 90% comparing to pre-pandemic period. And last year, 2024, we have about 10% higher volume comparing to 2019. In the past two years, the market is quite stable, uh, but not showing strong growth as we expect because of the tight budget from our corporate clients and also the sluggish economy growth in China. But I do think our company is showing strong resilience to keep growing steadily under such market and economic environment with China. I think we did benefit from our partnership with BCD meetings and events by constantly connecting us with more global accounts and bringing us a new market opportunity to become part of Liberty and welcoming inbound incentives, which is a very rapid growing market in China.
SPEAKER_00Great. Thank you, Jennifer. All right, we're gonna move to the Philippines. Jerome Hassim, I have a question for you on this topic as well. Obviously, as Jennifer just mentioned, the whole industry has really gone through some tough times over the years. So do you feel that your market in the Philippines is ready for the next phase and prepared to support all the growth for the future?
SPEAKER_04Um I think uh I would say certainly yes. Um looking at our production or productivity as compared to last year, we already surpassed last year's numbers. So technically, if we're gonna look at it product or volume-wise, we are there, but most of it importantly is surpassing or going to that volume. It's more on aligning our team, aligning our competency as far as compliance is concerned, as far as data is concerned. So looking at the numbers, we have a reduced volume as compared to other markets, but in terms of revenue on our on the Philippine side, so we're able be on top, beyond the top three in terms of revenue. So coming from the strength, so the question would be are we ready to the next phase? Yes, we are, in terms of how we do things over the past years, how we'd improve the process from the previous years to this year's. So, yeah, coming from that, uh, I think the question would always be that yeah, through towards the next phase, we are definitely ready to move forward.
SPEAKER_00Excellent. I'll share with the audience listening that we've been meeting for about three days, and definitely a couple themes have come through around, as you said, operational efficiency, really strong operating procedures, as well as the importance of data. And I think everyone in this room has agreed that those are the things that really can set us up for success. So it sounds like you're definitely on the right path. I also have a question for you. I mean, you've got colleagues in this room, we've got multiple markets that are being represented. How can you use this network to help you even further with some of your business objectives?
SPEAKER_04Actually, we've done a phase already of topping our partner market. So we've done it with Vietnam, we've done it with Korea, so we have a localized, uh we have uh an existing local client, but we wanted to have a localized uh experience on that particular country. So, with that said, visibility and having a same case study across all, so it gives us more benefit on leveraging the BCD Mini brand globally, and also we have a way of leveraging as far as the market, as far as the property is concerned, uh the suppliers is concerned. So, yeah, not just representing BCD Mini's Philippines, but when we present it to the clients with the collaboration with the other partner market, we're representing BCD Mini globally, not just specifically for a certain market.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's fantastic. I I've noticed there's been a ton of collaboration, and I'm glad to hear that you're working with different markets to achieve your common goals. Fantastic. Thank you, Jerome.
SPEAKER_04Thank you.
SPEAKER_00All right, we are going to move over to Malaysia. So, Mervyn Tan, you are up for my next question. And my question is around the topic of technology, another favorite one that we're always talking about. So, in Malaysia, how has the adoption of virtual and hybrid event technologies changed in the way that you're executing events for your customers?
SPEAKER_05For us in Malaysia pre-pandemic, we were already very tech-centric. We have our own in-house AV and tech team. With the COVID-19 happening, our customers were not allowed to engage in face-to-face meetings. Uh yet they still needed to add avenue to connect with their audiences. So there was a huge uh pressure on the events teams like us to come up with solutions to create that opportunity for our customers to engage with their audiences. So virtual events became a thing, and we were all going from well, face-to-face meetings like this to just sitting in front of our computers from the comfort of our homes, but also it created that uh I think we're all familiar with the term zoom fatigue, right? Too many of these things as well. So it started off slow, but we found our way in terms of uh putting together events virtually. Uh, the flow, making sure that the audiences got the messages that needed to be delivered. And later on, when the markets opened back up and we were allowed to travel again and allowed to meet again, people very quickly wanted that face-to-face interaction again. The too much Zoom calls, too much Teams meetings. Yeah, so I think that's how it's changed. And it's also moving into the now. While people still want to meet face-to-face, there's always that element of having the availability of technology and the platforms that are readily available to give that additional option. If and when the client wants to make the presentations here available to audiences and their offices or at home, because maybe there's uh cost of travel or time, uh, maybe sustainability reasons, uh, hybrid is also an option.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so some of those platforms that you're using, whether it be Zoom or or something else, you're you're still using it, sounds like, for some of your meetings, or at least it gives the option to expand the meeting to a hybrid as opposed to just a face-to-face exclusively.
SPEAKER_05That's right, that's right.
SPEAKER_00Okay, great. Well, thank you, Mervin. We are now going to move over to Japan. Again, Sumi. My next question is for you. In Japan, like many Asian countries, there's cultural norms, of course, and those have a big impact on the meeting practices and how you interact with customers, how you interact with your attendees. So I was wondering how that's really impacting meetings and events in your country. Are there situations where things maybe you want to take a more modern approach, but you still have to consider the cultural norms in in Japan?
SPEAKER_01Yes, uh, in Japan, one big point is how carefully we plan everything before event. The schedule, uh the loom setup, even small things like where to place welcome science, how to arrange the seats, blah blah blah. These are all decided in detail before event. This shows our culture of homotanacy as a warm hospitality. But because everything is implanned in advance, it's hard to make changes on site. In short, Japan is not flexible. Meeting must start and finish exactly on time, and uh it's also difficult to change things like mere menu. The chat bus we talked about yesterday as well. So it's important for clients and the international guests to understand this in advance. This way everything can go smoothly.
SPEAKER_00That's very interesting. That's great to know for those listening that we really have to follow the timelines and the rules and everything that's been established in advance and not make the changes on site. What about if you're planning a meeting outside of Japan? So if you're taking Japanese attendees, let's say, to a meeting in another country, is it a different experience there, or do you still bring those um those Japanese cultures too outside of your country?
SPEAKER_01Yes, absolutely. Uh when we plan international events or people from different countries, Japanese clients often expect a more flexible and global style. That might mean uh having more open discussions or time for networking. As I said earlier, events in Japan are usually very detailed and fixed in advance, so it can be hard to make changes on site. Our job is balance that to keep the good parts of Japanese planning and hospitality, but also make sure the event can work smoothly for international guests. In the end, it's about creating a good experience for everyone, no matter anything, any nationalities.
SPEAKER_00Very good. Thank you. Thank you again. Shirley, you are next. So you're from Indonesia, Shirley Tagu. I would like to ask you about sustainability. I think uh Mervin mentioned it as being one of the drivers for virtual meetings, potentially in Malaysia. In Indonesia specifically, what sustainability practices are being adopted in your country?
SPEAKER_08Well, this is the very uh hot topic recently, uh and also in our business. In Indonesia, uh, the sustainability practice uh in general it is adopted in multi-understanding. But to narrow it to our business, uh there are practices that are actually being done without awareness that it is actually sustainability. It is covered by the creativity and so on and so on. The the very simple example is um one of the understanding of sustainability. Uh, if we are having an event, we are replacing the material that is a one-time use with the example with the LED. But without having awareness of basically it is part of sustainability practice, but we see it as the creativity, it is the very modern things. Uh, and the other thing is uh the location, the venues, it is more going to the to the location, whereas the the meeting or events uh can also include the activity outdoor, going to the nature, having this, they cover it with the CSR activities. Example, like um in in Bali, uh it's very famous that we can do the turtle. The turtle, we release the turtle to the sea, and also to plant the there is uh this uh compound in in Bali and also in Jakarta where we can plan the things and we can put uh the company names as the contributor to the nature, to the society. Uh, this is all the things that uh we uh already practice in Indonesia, but we still need to do a lot of education uh to the clients. For instance, for meals, example. Uh, meals is something very uh important when we are having the meeting, especially, but to manage the meals uh proper portion uh for the consume of the audience, it is still one of the things that we need to educate to the to the clients, to the community. That's uh what I can share from Indonesia perspective.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, very, very helpful. And I would say that in addition to sustainability, some of those things that you just mentioned, releasing the turtles or planting trees, it also can contribute to your attendees' wellness. It gives them the opportunity to get out of the hotel ballroom and do something interesting. So that's that's a nice uh additional.
SPEAKER_08Yes, precisely. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I was also curious about kind of the government's role uh in in sustainability, specifically within Indonesia. Do they have any policies or incentives that would support the growth of sustainability in our meetings and events industry?
SPEAKER_08Not in the direct manner. The government uh supports uh or incentivize uh the meeting and events activity. But for the specific sustainability things uh in the activity, no. But example like the conservation or the venues that can have this uh sustainability practice in it, the government uh support that particular uh thing. Uh like the conservation for the turtle, uh, it is uh supported by the government uh to the uh conservation uh directly, not to us.
SPEAKER_00Makes sense. Okay, so the government helps in some ways, and then your creativity, the work that your agency does is is what brings uh it to the next level for our customers.
SPEAKER_08Yes, yes. Uh-huh. So we are passing the experience uh to the customer, to the clients, but they're at the same time, they're actually contributing to the society, to the community for the sustainability.
SPEAKER_00Very nice. Okay, thank you, Shirley. Uh so Rath Ramwang, I'm going to come to you next. So you are from Thailand, which is where we are, where we've been for the past couple days. This is my first time here, and it has been absolutely amazing. The hospitality, the food, everything. It's just been a fantastic experience. So I'm not surprised to hear that lots of groups like to come to Thailand to visit. I was curious from your perspective about some of the younger generations that are coming in. So we've got Generation Z now attending our meetings, um, and they've got different requirements, different outlooks. So, from your perspective, Rath, what are you seeing? How are the younger generations influencing events that you're planning?
SPEAKER_06Thank you for your questions. Actually, I'm not a Gen C anymore, but but I love to work with the. So actually, uh from my experience from the event more than 20 years with many kinds of businesses, I think that the Gen C will judge the event by the preference, by value, by like some kind of like a digital behavior. So uh any event that will be designed for for the new generation have to be the digital integration as well. So uh there will be the seamless technology, will be get involved in that event. They can use like uh experience, the experience management is very important for this kind of uh group of people. So they need the immersive technology together. It's not just a content anymore. They're gonna be like some kind of like a social media. Uh that the event's gonna be the AR, they're gonna be the VR, they're gonna be the gamification in that incorporate that event. Then we'll be so interested for then for this group of people. And event marketing, uh, sometimes of the industry, the objective is not just only for education, the objective is just for For branding, for sales promotion. So the content of event marketing is not just only the formal, it is like informal. Really look like lively, how to get in touch easily. So the social media, like a line, real TikTok, is another part of like a public relation for that event. This is like my perspective that I work with the Gen Z for.
SPEAKER_00I completely agree with you. We've had some presentations this week about the shortening attention span of people. Probably you don't have to be in Gen Z to have a short attention span. I think most of us do. I certainly do. So different ways that you can invoke a feeling or keep people interested really are very important tools for us as meeting planners. One more question for you. What about future trends? So if you think about the next five years, how do you see meetings and events changing?
SPEAKER_06Maybe the next five years may be too long because uh the the changes already be happened anyway, anytime. But from my experience, from the beginning, the automation. AI and automation is quite important for helping the event look more interesting. So uh the AI will be helping us to do the event planning, to do the matchmaking, to do the like uh event analysis. And with this automation, the event owner may need the data-driven decision making from that event. What is the resource? How speed they are, because the automation will help the speed come out very, very quickly. So for the next next year and not next three five years, the AI automation will become more uh like influence in in our event, not only in terms of like operation, but in terms of like a organizer size as well. So that that is like uh the futures of the event management in the next five years, my in my perspective.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I appreciate that. You're right. Technology is moving so fast, it probably is the next year, and then it'll be something completely different the year after that. Thank you.
SPEAKER_06Thank you.
SPEAKER_00Lastly, I'd be remiss if I didn't speak with Sanjay Sepp, who is the senior vice president and managing director at BCD ME, and he is overseeing the APAC region. Sanjay, you've got some key partners in the room. What role would you say they play in shaping the future of meetings?
SPEAKER_03Jennifer, it's great to have you in region and in Bangkok. I know you can't help uh but touch and breathe in the energy of this city. Uh, it's a live 24-7 and it's constantly changing. And I think that is symbolic of the one constant that we own in APAC, which is change. Fortunately for us, it's largely forward progression, but it is always complex. We don't differentiate our partners, BCD meetings and events in the 10 distinct and culturally unique countries in AIPAC from our wholly owned offices. We share the same global corporate customers and organizations who buy solutions or multiple solutions from BCD. Their expectations are that our protocols and processes and ultimately our delivery is globally consistent and yet local. The partner network at BCD was born in APAC out of a customer necessity, but certainly this is where it all began. So while this isn't changed for us, our customer centricity, um, strategically we chose to seize our relationships in some markets in AIPAC and to search out new partners who are experts, creative agencies in their own right. I believe our partners are the best agencies in their markets in this region. And both as BCDM ⁇ E and in their local business, they lead the way in molding what I believe is the business of meetings and events, and amidst this constant change that we're seeing. So we're fortunate. I think our manifesto that we have as far as in uh BCD M ⁇ E being a global organization, you know, it's cascaded and everyone believes in it. So the value that we have, why we conduct ourselves as BCD meetings and events, the way we do in the markets, all comes down from that. So they are the change.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. I think that one of the things I've observed in this meeting over the past few days is really that many of the challenges and the opportunities we face are not unique to any one country. Many people in this room have the same challenges ahead of them, and we can work together to solve them. And these are challenges that in many cases are not unique to APAC either. We see them in Europe, we see them in North America. So any time we have the opportunity to learn from each other is definitely time well spent. So I'd really like to thank everyone for your insights. I've really enjoyed my time here. I've enjoyed this discussion, getting to learn a little bit more about your region, your specific countries. It sounds like the future of the Asia-Pacific market is bright, and I'm very glad to be a part of it. Thank you all. That's all the time we have for today. If you liked what you heard, please like and subscribe. I'm Jenna Baker, and this is Meetings Matter Chatter.