As we approach the Lunar new year celebrations, it’s good to see how fine things are making a revival.
Fashion is in the habit of reinventing itself with designers harking back to another era for new-season inspirations. An event held by MIX’s sister title Business Traveller at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore’s Clifford Pier venue saw a 1930s theme in tribute to the opening of the venue in 1933.
Though the overall purpose of the evening was to honour 50 years of the city’s tourism board and congratulate winners of the Business Traveller Awards based in the city, the theme brought everybody’s sense of style to the fore – except for your Editor, who rolled up in his off-the-rack suit from the mid-2000s.
Another revival that may be happening without even the sharpest creative brains in the events industry noticing is the art of the dinner table conversation. Leading lights of the Hong Kong chapter-in-formation of the International Special Events Society gathered at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club to discuss creativity at events.
The cross-table discussion was hosted by the Society’s international president, Kevin White, who was on his way back to the United States after visiting Asia. One of the biggest bugbears discussed during the evening was the lack of respect afforded to the industry by both the authorities and junior executives on the client side.
Hong Kong officials have taken their fair share of barbs of late following the Occupy protests, but it seems the city is still in the shadow of Singapore when it comes to attracting corporate events.
Plenty of ideas were aired on how to combat this. PR genius is one way with opinion pieces raising awareness in government and those who-should-know-better in the corporate world.
Looks like the Year of the Goat will be ringing in some changes for Asia’s events industry – and much of this coming from the International Special Events Society, partly thanks to a chat over dinner.
