Papua New Guinea’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector has grown rapidly over the past few years, with venues competing for business with upgrades, expansions and value adds. Business Advantage PNG looks at the current MICE landscape in the capital.

Loloata Island Resort offers an island experience for clients. Credit: BAI

There is something of a hospitality arms race on in Port Moresby as venues compete for the ever-expanding Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) dollar.

“The MICE sector in Port Moresby has exponentially grown over the last few years,” says Alan Christie, Chief Executive Officer, Steamships Hospitality, which has four properties in Port Moresby including Marriott Executive Apartments and the historic Grand Papua Hotel.

“Our food and beverage revenue has doubled in three years, and a huge proportion of that is down to the conference and events business. We’ve invested heavily in improving our conference and event spaces. In fact, we haven’t been able to build them fast enough.”

Steamships is also going to “put the grand back into Grand Papua,” with an extensive 15-month renovation set to commence in April. The company is also investing in smaller conference facilities at Ela Beach Hotel & Apartments and Gateway Hotel.

“There are these big investment projects that everybody’s talking about, whether it’s gas or mining and gold and minerals,” he says.

“Are we doing these refurbishments and expansions to capture that future demand? Yes. But at the same time, we’re doing it for our current demand.”

Meanwhile, Airways Hotel & Residences recently launched the Athena conference centre, which can host 200 guests for cocktails or 150 for a sit-down event. The team is also looking to covert some rooms to provide extra space for meetings and events.

“We are targeting the non-profit organisations and government,” says Gizelle Moreno, Airways General Manager. “We have a lot of engagement locally here and we are keen to encourage meetings and events because that converts to more room nights.”

MICE with a twist

Also in the midst of a huge update is international hotel chain IHG Hotels and Resorts’ Holiday Inn & Suites Port Moresby and Holiday Inn Express.  The K30-million renovation will help keep pace with the changing needs of the MICE sector.

Hudson Mitchell, Director of Sales & Marketing, IHG PNG, says the Holiday Inn & Suites has built a reputation as the small-to-medium size group events specialist. It is also working on what he calls an “enhanced” meeting experience.

“When you book with us, we will offset your carbon footprint by planting a tree and adding to our landscaping initiatives,” Mitchell says.

“The biggest point of difference that we bring to the table is our outdoor spaces. The outdoor venue that we offer, the Cassowary Park – no other hotel in Port Moresby has the ability to do outdoor events the way that we do.”

Another property looking to establish a point of difference in a crowded MICE marketplace is Loloata Island Resort, located a short drive and boat trip from the capital.

Alex Wilson, General Manager at Loloata, says the property has attracted big name clients, because Loloata offers something different – a real island experience.

“Loloata Island has something most offerings in the market don’t have. An island setting for great leadership and team bonding activities including kayak self- navigation, coral and mangrove planting work programs, hilltop team treks, etc. All these can be done in a day,” says Wilson.

In addition, the resort can organise activities including leis, ukelele serenading and coconut drinks on arrival. Barbeque and bonfire dinners by the beachfront are an optional feature for closing ceremonies.

For Robbie Turner, Commercial Director at Hilton Port Moresby, the point of difference lies in scale. Opened in 2018 in time for the APEC Summit, the Hilton hosted the gala APEC dinner at its first-ever event. Like Loloata, the Hilton convention centre aims to make sure that its meetings have a clear sense of place.

“The convention centre is quite unique, the roof is modelled after what they call the meeting place in the village,” Turner says.

This local flavour and flexibility not only to make events unique but helps deal with the changing event landscape.

“Over the last year our booking window has dropped from three weeks to three days,” says Steamships’ Alan Christie.

“We have seen huge conferences come out from Australia and, no joke, they phone us on Thursday and say: can you host 200 of us on Monday?”

Conference and events: what the key hotels offer

Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza Residences (IHG)

Target market: Conferences valuing modernity and security

Current capacity: Holiday Inn and Suites – 238 rooms; Holiday Inn Express – 199 rooms

Business capacity: Boardrooms for 20 up to 350

Differentiation: Huge outdoor space, Cassowary Park, can do biggest outdoor events in Port Moresby

Planned expansion: Upgrades to continue throughout next year

 

Steamships Hospitality (Coral Sea Hotels)

Target market: Big government and corporates

Current capacity: 581 hotel rooms and suites and 197 hotel services apartments across the portfolio

Business capacity: From intimate meetings in the library at Grand Papua to conferences up to 500 pax at Gateway Hotel

Differentiation: Expert at government conferences

Planned expansion: Grand Papua Hotel set to undergo huge refurbishment with doubling of conference capacity

 

Hilton Port Moresby

Target market: Larger groups valuing Hilton brand

Current capacity: 212 hotel rooms; 180 residences; six food and beverage outlets

Business capacity: banquet hall for up to 1000 people; eight breakout rooms

Differentiation: capability for large events

Planned expansion: Hilton has no expansion plans

 

Loloata Island Resort

Target market: Smaller team building events

Current capacity: 68 suites and villas

Business capacity 200 guests for conference space

Differentiation: Island location and feel, difference from POM properties

Planned expansion: Greater team building facilities like kayaking and yoga

 

Airways Hotel & Residences

Target market: Corporate and government

Current capacity: 144 rooms

Business capacity Athena conference centre takes 200 for cocktails and 150 for sit down events

Differentiation: Strong local connection

Planned expansion: Athena conference centre just opened; no further plans