Mutiara Hotels and Resorts to attend IT&CMA

Pernas Hotel Management (PHM) the managers of the six Mutiara Hotels and Resorts in Malaysia has given the forthcoming Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meeting Asia Conference (IT&CMA) to be held in Bangkok, Thailand from November 4-6, the highest priority for its Meeting Incentive Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sales team.

Mr. Halim Merican, General Manager, Yield and Revenue Management for Pernas Hotel Management (PHM) said: "IT&CMA is always an extremely important sales conference for all our resorts and hotels as it is one of the leading Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) show and conference in the Asia Pacific Region."

He continued: "This conference in Bangkok is occurring just as the market appears to be getting back on an even keel for both regional businesses and the travel industry. The opportunities are re-appearing, people are travelling more than they were last year and this means the conferences are on the increase too."

Mr. Merican commented that all the Mutiara properties have become meaner and leaner during the recent downturn and have now geared up for a strong year of MICE business. He noted that while IT&CMA is being held in November many of the deals that will be struck would be set for many months into the future. He continued that over 400 key MICE buyers will be attending the Bangkok show and while competition is getting stronger from new destinations, Malaysia and Mutiara are well positioned to offer great opportunities for the buyers.

"Our research indicates that in some quarters there is less money to be spent on MICE. However, for others, it's business as usual. We have to be flexible to offer something to those on tight budgets as well as to present something to others who can afford to be more lavish. The good thing about Mutiara Hotels and Resorts is that we can accommodate almost all requests.

"We have to, and have responded to this by offering meeting packages that remain attractive to all our potential buyers. This means value more adding to buyers on tight budgets. We are in an advantageous position too as we are situated in a country with low overheads compared to some of our neighbours. We can still remain competitive but provide world-class facilities at the same time", he stated.

"Initiatives by the government such as the development of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, located within the Kuala Lumpur City Centre are applauded especially as the project is expected to be completed by 2005. As the new centre is just minutes from the Mutiara Kuala Lumpur we see this will be a great boost to the Malaysian MICE market and to business in our flagship property", commented Mr. Merican.

"We have six excellent properties covering many Malaysian experiences and we feel we have something to offer the many different requirements of demanding MICE market buyers", he explained.

These properties include city hotels like Mutiara Johor Bahru, beachside properties in Mutiara Penang and Mutiara Burau Bay and the nature-based resorts of Mutiara Taman Negara and Mutiara Pedu Lake.

Mr. Merican explained that the Mutiara Hotels and Resorts have opportunities in all the great environments for which Malaysia is famous. He continued: "Mutiara Hotels and Resorts can provide the MICE market excellent conference facilities in exciting destinations like the nation's capital, its southern gateway, on the beachfront of the nation's leading tourist islands of Penang and Langkawi, as well as deep within the diverse rainforests for which the country is most famous."

"Therefore, we consider we are one of the best placed hotel groups in Malaysia to offer a diversity of opportunities in a variety of locations. This is why we say, nobody knows Malaysia like Mutiara", he explained. 

All Mutiara Hotels and Resorts will be represented at IT&CMA Bangkok and the group hopes to secure extensive and confirmed business contracts from the conference.