New Markets: New Challenges and Opportunities in a Challenging Economic Climate

HOSPITALITY & LEISURE CONFERENCE Conference Date :

13-14 January 2009

Conference Venue :

Prince Hotel and Residence, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Our Distinguished Panel of Experts: Richard Agon, Chief Executive Officer Agon Hotels & Resorts Marco G Battistotti, General Manager, G Hotel and Chairman, Malaysia Association of Hotels Penang Chapter

Key Issues to be addressed: Latest trends in leisure and travel that affect the hospitality industry

Profitable keys for a greener future Providing effective customer service in the hospitality industry Anticipating change that will shape the industry How to maintain revenues and pricing in the hospitality and leisure industry during economic downturn The impact of the internet to the tourism industry The potential of health tourism Effective press and media relations to best results and media placements for your destination, hotel or attraction Leveraging latest technologies in the hospitality industry Innovative methods of training and retaining staff The outlook for acquisitions Global perspectives on business, tourism and hospitality Official PublicationS:

Endorsed by:

Special discount of 10% to members of AHTA

Dato’ Dr Teddric J Mohr, Chief Executive Officer Penang Adventist Hospital Pradeep Kumar Nair, Chief Operating Officer School of Hospitality and Tourism/ Taylor’s College, Petaling Jaya

Keeping a lid on rising operating costs

Organised By:

Gracie Geikie, Chief Executive Officer Sarawak Tourism Board



Stuart Pack, Chief Executive Officer, Leisure & Health Tourism Division, Golden Horse Palace Suresh Ponnudurai, Chief Executive Officer MalaysiaHealthCare.com Rohizam Md Yusoff, Chief Executive Officer VirtualMalaysia.Com Previndran Singhe, Group CEO & Founder Zerin Properties Eugene Tan, Area Director of Human Resources Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore Datin Wan Norhiyati, PR Counsellor MAE Public Relations Anthony Wong, Group Managing Director Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel and Frangipani Hotels & Resorts – The Frangipani Langkawi Resort Dr. Wong Kong-Yew, Tourism Economist & Programme Director Taylor’s Graduate School Wouter G Piët, Chief Executive Officer and Founder E-HORS (Electronic Hotel Operations and Reservation System) Jeremy M Joseph, Advocates & Solicitors Joseph & Partners

Learn about the latest trends in hospitality & leisure and Day One i 13

January 2009 i Tuesday

8.00

REGISTRATION AND MORNING COFFEE

9.00

CHAIRPERSON’S OPENING REMARKS Dr. Wong Kong-Yew Tourism Economist & Programme Director Taylor’s Graduate School

9.10

Latest Trends in Leisure and Travel That Affect the Hospitality Industry n Management of productivity n New products, services, processes and tools n Ethics and social responsibility n Knowledge management n The impact of globalisation n Emerging markets Previndran Singhe Group CEO & Founder Zerin Properties

9.55

MORNING REFRESHMENT

10.10 Keeping a Lid on Rising Operating Costs n How to respond to the major commodity price increases in today’s market n What are the trends of buying local and how to ensure consistency in supply and profit margins n How to turn the operation more energy efficient without involving huge capital investment projects n Explore small and easy upgrades to save energy and money to benefits its bottom line Anthony Wong Group Managing Director Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel and Group Managing Director Frangipani Hotels & Resorts – The Frangipani Langkawi Resort 10.55 Providing Effective Customer Service in the Hospitality Industry n Tools for exceptional customer service n How to overcome the barriers of delivering excellent customer service n Learn how to measure customer satisfaction levels and take corrective action when needed



n Understand different customer behaviour styles and know how to adjust to them Eugene Tan Area Director of Human Resources Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

11.40 Profitable Keys for a Greener Future n How to design and operate the hotels that preserve the planet and its people n How to obtain stakeholders’ long term commitment and understanding to go green n How to design for sustainability cost effectively n Challenges and benefits of going green n How to change mindset as step 1 and get everybody to buy in Anthony Wong Group Managing Director Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel and Group Managing Director Frangipani Hotels & Resorts – The Frangipani Langkawi Resort 12.25 LUNCH 1.45

2.30

How to Maintain Revenues and Pricing in the Hospitality and Leisure Industry during Economic Downturn n Best practices for managing revenue and to avoid erosion over the long term n What are the dangers in lowering prices to increase the demand n Learn how to align distribution with revenue management n How to maximise revenue through accurate forecasting n How can customer-centric revenue management strategy help to boost the revenue Richard Agon Chief Executive Officer Agon Hotels & Resorts The Potential of Health Tourism n The health tourism scene in Malaysian and Asian countries n Issues involving health tourism n How to maximise the potential of health tourism

FOR ENQUIRIES AND REGISTRATION: Fax (603) 2070 3369 or Call (603) 2070 3299

d innovative new business practices from industry experts

n Partnership with hospitality industry Suresh Ponnudurai Chief Executive Officer MalaysiaHealthCare.com

3.15

AFTERNOON REFRESHMENT

3.30

The Impact of the Internet to the Tourism Industry n Internet transactions in Malaysia and the world n The size of the Internet n Importance of visibility on the internet n Competitive marketing techniques on the internet n How to vitalise an online business Rohizam Md Yusoff Chief Executive Officer VirtualMalaysia.Com





Legal Issues Affecting Hotels and Travel Agents n Rights to refuse a guest n Basic civil and criminal liabilities of hoteliers n How can hotels and travel agents be liable for a guest’s disappointment? n What are the problems associated with food and beverage? Jeremy M Joseph Advocates & Solicitors Joseph & Partners

5.00

END OF DAY ONE

4.15

Day two i 14

January 2009 i Wednesday

8.30

MORNING COFFEE

9.00

CHAIRPERSON’S OPENING REMARKS Pradeep Kumar Nair Chief Operating Officer School of Hospitality and Tourism/Taylor’s College, Petaling Jaya

9.15

Global Perspectives on Tourism and Hospitality Business n Overview on these industries in Malaysia n How do business principles apply to tourism and hospitality specifically





n Major challenges faced by these industries and ways to overcome it n What are the emerging opportunities in the Asian market? Marco G Battistotti, General Manager, G Hotel and Chairman Malaysia Association of Hotels Penang Chapter

10.00 MORNING REFRESHMENT 10.30 Anticipating Change That Will Shape the Industry n What are the impacts of political, social and economic changes on the hospitality industry n Strategic decision making process n Insights into the current Malaysia Hospitality and Leisure industry which include operations, new developments, acquisitions and travel economy Gracie Geikie Chief Executive Officer Sarawak Tourism Board 11.15 Leveraging Latest Technologies in the Hospitality Industry n How to take advantage of the new opportunities in the world of advancing technology, changing customer demands and competitive differentiation n The adding value of new information and communication technologies to the customer n New information and communication technologies and customer relationship n Learn about Web 2.0 opportunities, map-vertising, map engine optimisation, third-party reservation and trip advice sites Dato’ Dr Teddric J Mohr Chief Executive Officer Penang Adventist Hospital 12.00 LUNCH 1.30 Effective Press and Media Relations to Best Results and Media Placements for Your Destination, Hotel or Attraction n Key competencies in sharpening your pitching skills n How to broaden your exposure n Effective strategies to expand your contacts n How to build long term relationship with the press and media

FOR ENQUIRIES AND REGISTRATION: Fax (603) 2070 3369 or Call (603) 2070 3299



n Learn what draws the media attention Datin Wan Norhiyati, PR Counsellor MAE Public Relations

2.15



Outlook, Development and Acquisition n What’s the outlook for both individual and organisations n Who is buying n Who is selling n What are the rules of acquisitions Marco G Battistotti, General Manager, G Hotel and Chairman Malaysia Association of Hotels Penang Chapter

3.00

AFTERNOON REFRESHMENT

3.30

Innovative Methods of Training and Retaining Staff n Think ‘out of the box’ for ways to retain staff n Motivation, promotion & incentives and employee retention n Employee personal development and continuous education n Values, cultural fit and its impact n Influencing factors in employee turnover and management models of labour turnover Stuart Pack, Chief Executive Officer, Leisure & Health Tourism Division Golden Horse Palace



4.15 5.00

Leveraging Latest Technologies in the Hospitality Industry - A Case Study n How to take advantage of the new opportunities in the world of advancing technology, changing customer demands and competitive differentiation n The adding value of new information and communication technologies to the customer n New information and communication technologies and customer relationship Wouter G Piët Chief Executive Officer and Founder E-HORS (Electronic Hotel Operations and Reservation System) END OF CONFERENCE

Who should attend v

Executive Senior Officials from Tourism Authorities/ Departments

v

Travel Agents

v

Hotels

v

Airline Companies

v

Representatives of Tourism Associations

v

Travel Agencies

v

PR and Advertising Agencies and Resort Owners

As well as: ] Hotel Management Companies ] Restaurants Owners ] Advertising and Marketing Agencies

Key Benefits of Attending 4 GAIN critical updates, latest development trends and challenges in the hospitality and leisure industry in the country and around the region 4 IDENTIFY what’s hot and happening in the emerging markets for hotel real estate and where 4 DEVELOP and strengthen cross industry partnerships and alliances for new growth 4 CAPITALISE on how the Internet and Web 2.0 technologies can support and enhance your tourism and leisure growth 4 EXPLORE the opportunity of going green 4 DISCOVER and leverage on how you can maintain revenue while keeping cost down 4 APPRECIATE the strategic value of Health Tourism and where the opportunities for new growths are? 4 ESTABLISH an effective communications and media relations strategic plan to achieve the maximum coverage for your hospitality and leisure publicity and promotion 4 UNDERSTAND and manage the importance of establishing good, strong financing strategy to further enhance the value of your hotel and leisure real estate 4 SELECT the right recruitment formula for your HR plans and how to retain staff 4 ESTABLISH meaningful strategies to drive customer service excellence

SPONSORSHIP and EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITIES This high profile event provides your company with the unique opportunity to capture the interest and influence the decisions of a highly targeted audience. Capitalise on this ideal platform to market your services and form strategic relationships through networking. Sponsorship and Exhibition options include: k Luncheon k Cocktail Reception k Documentation k Table-top Display k Promotional Materials

For enquiries Tel: (603) 2070 3299 or Fax : (603) 2070 3369

An event for the tourism and travel industry professionals and stakeholders who want to learn more about the latest challenges, new developments, technology, trends and strategies and gain access to practical and up-to-date information that they can adopt and use Hospitality and Leisure industry sectors are highly sensitive to economic and competitive market conditions and are capital, management, marketing, personnel, energy, maintenance, and technology intensive. Demand and consumer expectations have continued to expand with the evolution of a global marketplace. Hospitality and Leisure companies need to meet the challenges of today’s world market by understanding and establishing strategies to meet consumer trends, economic conditions, technology, competition and concerns regarding security and social responsibility. “According to Tourism Malaysia statistics, tourist arrivals to Malaysia rose 3.9% to 12.8 million in the first seven months of the year against 12.4 million in the previous corresponding period. For the first six months, tourist arrivals in Sabah grew by 1.2% to 1.12 million compared with 1.11 million in 2007.” - Source: The STAR, 30 Aug 2008 Building Malaysia’s competitive edge in the global tourism market must be a priority. Importantly, Malaysia must keep pace with advances in technology, respond to climate change, respond to consumer trends and supply a workforce that delivers service excellence. It means building on Malaysia’s strengths – its nature and environment, its open and friendly people, indigenous culture, excellence in event and convention management, climate, health and security. This can only be achieved by industry, government and the community working in. Given that the current worldwide shifts in the economy and climate are unprecedented. From global warming, to rising energy prices, diminished tourism activity, and shifting demographics; the issues for business owners and society as a whole are huge. By addressing these issues head on, this Conference on Hospitality and Leisure organised by Asia Business Forum will present a hard-hitting agenda that will give you the knowledge and tools needed to succeed in today’s business environment. Our panel of experts from various organisations include Zerin Properties, Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel/ Frangipani Hotels & Resorts – The Frangipani Langkawi Resort, Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, Sarawak Tourism Board, Agon Hotels & Resorts, VirtualMalaysia.Com, MalaysiaHealthCare.com, MAE Public Relations, Penang Adventist Hospital, G Hotel, Malaysia Association of Hotels Penang Chapter, Golden Horse Palace and many more who will provide you with a comprehensive and well-informed update on the state of the market sectors and the discernible trends.

The Prerequisites Necessary to face the Challenges of Tomorrow for the Hospitality and Leisure Industry DON’T MISS THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY! REGISTER YOURSELF TODAY! Call us at (603) 2070 3299 or fax your registration to (603) 2070 3369 or email to [email protected] to reserve your place today

Registration Form

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HOSPITALITY & LEISURE CONFERENCE

Telephone: (603) 2070 3299

13-14 January 2009 Prince Hotel and Residence, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Fax: complete and send this registration form to: (603) 2070 3369

c Yes! Please register the following delegate(s) for this Conference (Please photocopy for more delegates)

Mail: this completed form together with payment to: Asia Business Forum Sdn Bhd Suite 20.05, Level 20, Wisma Goldhill, 67 Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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WEB: http://www.abf-asia.com Your investment for attending this Conference is: Regular Fee

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RM3,995

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(If payment & registration are received by 12 December 2008)

RM3,695

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The fee includes lunch, refreshments and conference documentation.

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c Please cross cheque or bank draft made payable to ASIA BUSINESS FORUM SDN BHD and mail your payment together with this registration to Suite 20.05, Level 20, Wisma Goldhill, 67 Jalan Raja Chulan 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Enclosed is our cheque/draft for RM ______________________

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Conference Venue and Accommodation Information Prince Hotel and Residence, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia No.4, Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: (603) 2170 8888 Fax: (603) 2170 8999 Website: www.princehotelkl.com Attn: Room Reservation Department For reservations, please make your bookings directly with the hotel. To enjoy the special room rates, please quote Asia Business Forum’s Conference on “Hospitality & Leisure Conference”. Hotel bills are to be settled by delegates directly with the hotel. Hotel reservations and travel arrangements are the responsibilities of the registrant. Please note that rooms are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Incorrect Mailing Information It is possible that you may receive multiple mailings of this event or incorrect company details on the labels, for which we apologise. If this happens, please let us know so that we can update our database immediately. If you do not wish to have your name on our mailing list, please let us know and we will remove it from our listing. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to the provisions of the DIRECT SALES ACT 1993, the registration form herein shall only be used by body corporate. Since Asia Business Forum Sdn Bhd is unable to accept registration by mail from any individual, all individuals and applicants who are not body corporate and who wish to attend are requested to register themselves at Suite 20.05, Level 20, Wisma Goldhill, 67 Jalan Raja Chulan 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia or call (603) 2070 3299 for registration procedure.



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Important Notice: Payment is required with registration and must be received prior to the conference to guarantee your place. Walk-in delegates with payment will only be admitted on the basis of space availability at the conference and with immediate full payment.

Cancellations and Transfers If you are unable to attend, a substitute delegate is welcomed at no extra charge. Please provide the name and the title of the substitute delegate at least 2 working days prior to the Conference. A refund less RM400 administration charge will be made for cancellation received in writing on or before 2 December 2008. Regrettably, no refund can be made for cancellation received after this date. A complete set of documentation will however be sent to you. The organiser reserves the right to make any amendments and/or changes to the programme, venue, speaker replacements and/or topics if warranted by circumstances beyond its control.

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