The Singapore Sling is a cocktail that they say was developed sometime before 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender working at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel Singapore. The original recipe used gin, Cherry Heering, Bénédictine, and fresh pineapple juice, primarily from Sarawak pineapples which enhanced the flavour and created the famous foamy top.
It was acclaimed the perfect cocktail; and, in many ways, that is the story behind the 10th ACTE Asia Pacific Conference which takes place on third and fourth August 2011.
The Association of Corporate Travel Executives is famous for its global and regional education conferences and the cocktail of inspirational, informative and insightful educational sessions that ACTE delegates experience at the convention. The feedback from delegates of the conferences of recent years has been one of high praise for the parade of exciting and influential speakers addressing the key business travel issues of the moment. And certainly the 10th ACTE Asia Pacific conference promises to meet those exacting standards.
And one of the most important aspects of the ACTE conferences is always the location which forms the backdrop for the gathering.
From a business travel perspective Singapore is, without doubt, a fitting location for the ACTE Asia Pacific Educational Conference as it sits geographically in a pivotal position in the region. English, the global language of business, is considered the first language of Singapore and the city state is the leading shipping centre in Asia. All the major oil companies and raw material suppliers have their Asian headquarters here, and the country is also a centre for a number of major commercial, financial and transportation firms.
And this 10th Anniversary of the ACTE Asia Pacific Educational Conference takes place as the region flexes its business muscles once again. For the region is seeing positive growth as business travellers take advantage of a more thriving economic climate.
The Asian economy was resilient through the recession, but certainly it was affected, and business travel declined, like everywhere else. But the Asian market has a business culture that respects the true value of face-to-face meetings, perhaps more than any other region in the world.
With further rapid business growth expected in the region, investment in infrastructure and connections continues to grow. Regional and international carriers are expanding routes and entering new markets in Asia in response to forecasts for rising traffic. Many multinational companies are taking advantage of the array of new low-cost carriers, which are growing in popularity in the region. AirAsia, for example, has added premium services for business travellers, and is featuring increasingly in corporate travel policies.
So, from a business travel perspective, Singapore makes an ideal location for the ACTE Conference. However delegates can also enjoy the many benefits that business tourism on the island city has to offer
Singapore will offer ACTE delegates a unique and special melting pot of cultural experiences for that all important pre and post conference R&R time. Consisting of one main island and no fewer than 63 smaller, uninhabited, islands Singapore gives to its tourists a panoramic view of paradise.
Singapore is famous for being a clean and green country, while all so being famous for its multi cultural population. But it is also famous for its tree lined roads, high rise buildings, state of the art airport and, no doubt of specific interest to ACTE Conference delegates, its retail shopping and food experiences.
Given the cocktail of experiences, scenary, culture and activities that this fascinating country has to offer it seems right and especially fitting that the ACTE 10th Asia Pacific Educational Conference takes place in the birth place of the World’s most famous cocktail – The Singapore Sling.
Ron DiLeo is Executive Director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives
