EU, Singapore Trade Tax-Free Oil Deal May Start End 2014

A free-trade agreement between the
European Union and Singapore that removes taxes on jet fuel and
diesel imports to the continent will come into force as early as
2014, potentially boosting petroleum shipments to the EU.

The full ratification process will take about two years
from Dec. 16, when a draft deal was reached, the Singapore Trade
Ministry said yesterday in an e-mail. The pact is similar to an
accord between the EU and South Korea that led to an
unprecedented flow of North Sea crude oil to the Asian nation.

The EU and Singapore are seeking to build on the growing
trade in goods, estimated at S$106 billion ($86 billion) in 2011
by the island nation’s trade ministry. Removal of taxes would
allow refiners in Singapore, such as Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) and
Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), to ship so-called distillate fuels including
diesel to the EU, opening an export route that is dominated by
companies in India and the Middle East. It may also exacerbate
worsening refining profit margins in Europe, where the second
recession in four years is cutting demand.

“This could be disastrous for European refiners,” Olivier Jakob, managing director at Zug, Switzerland-based Petromatrix
GmbH, said by phone Jan. 25. “The FTA with Korea is already
taking crude out of Europe and increasing the cost of it for
Europeans, now you have another challenge for them with
competition for distillate flows from Singapore. It’s already
bad for them and is going to get worse.”

Export Refiner

Singapore, Asia’s largest export refiner, ships oil
products including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel to nations as
far away as the U.S., according to government data. The EU
currently imposes a 4.7 percent tax on jet fuel and 3.5 percent
tariff on diesel imports from Singapore.

Asian gasoil, a benchmark for diesel and jet fuel, for
February settlement was at a discount of $18.22 a metric ton to
European prices as of 4:15 p.m. London time, according to data
compiled by Bloomberg. Import taxes and shipping costs erode
potential profits in moving fuels to other markets.

“Complex refineries in Asia are able to process heavy and
cheaper crude to produce top of the barrel oil products at a
much lower cost and are hence able to export products to
destinations as far as Europe at a competitive price,” Abhishek Deshpande, an analyst at Natixis SA in London, said today in an
e-mailed response to questions.

There are currently no taxes levied on EU petroleum or
crude imports into Singapore.

The pact will be presented to EU legislators for approval
by May, a government official involved in the talks said Jan.
25, asking not to be identified, citing policy.

Crude Flows

A free-trade deal between the EU and South Korea prompted
the flow of crude exports to the Asian nation. The European
Parliament approved that deal in February 2011, overcoming the
final hurdle to the agreement, which then took effect in July
that year.

At least 53 million barrels of North Sea crude have been
exported to South Korea since the agreement that exempted
refiners in the Asian nation from a 3 percent tariff began. That
is equivalent to about three weeks of imports.

“The EU and Singapore will now seek approval for the deal
from their respective political authorities and envisage
initialling the draft agreement in Spring 2013,” the EU said in
a Dec. 16 statement, citing Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht
and Minister of Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang.

The accord still requires the approval within the European
Commission and by EU member states and the European Parliament.
We “cannot give a precise forecast as to when they will all be
completed and the FTA will enter into force,” John Clancy, a
trade spokesman of the commission, the 27-nation EU’s executive
arm in Brussels, said by e-mail on Jan. 25.

Jet Fuel

Buyers in Europe were to import about 1.4 million tons of
jet fuel from the Middle East and Asia this month, according to
a Jan. 21 Bloomberg survey of six traders and brokers who
specialize in the trade of the aviation fuel. The increase is
from 1.5 million tons in December when volumes rose to the
highest in three months.

Singapore, which has refining capacity of about 1.4 million
barrels a day, roughly equal to U.K. consumption, didn’t export
any jet fuel or diesel to the EU in the five weeks through Jan.
30, data from the trade ministry show.

In the first half of last year, the EU imported 8.8 million
tons of diesel a month from all countries, according to data
from the bloc.

Several European refineries have reduced production
counter-seasonally due to a fall in processing margins and more
will probably curb operations if profits don’t recover, the
International Energy Agency said Jan. 18 in its monthly report.

Shell’s Pernis facility in the Netherlands and Exxon
Mobil’s Fawley in the U.K. were among sites operating at reduced
rates, the IEA said citing press reports.

Singapore’s Trade Ministry said in December that local
exporters of electronics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and
processed food products will benefit from the removal of EU
tariffs.

To contact the reporters on this story:
Raj Rajendran in London at
rrajendran4@bloomberg.net;
Ann Koh in Singapore at
akoh15@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Stephen Voss at
sev@bloomberg.net

EU, Singapore Trade Tax-Free Oil Deal May Start End 2014

Mickelson flirts with 59, settles for 60

LONDON (Reuters) – Arsenal clinched a last-minute deal for Spanish international left back Nacho Monreal from Malaga on Thursday. The 26-year-old has signed a long-term contract with the Gunners shortly before the transfer window closed, according to the Premier League club’s website (www.arsenal.com). Monreal, who has nine Spain caps, will strengthen manager Arsene Wenger’s options in defence after Kieran Gibbs was injured against Liverpool on Wednesday. …

Mickelson flirts with 59, settles for 60

Better Homes & Gardens Gets Lost in Singapore

Channel Seven’s Logie Award winning program Better Homes and Gardens will kick off their 2013 season in one of Australia’s favourite international destinations, Singapore, this Friday evening 1st February at 7.30pm AEDT.

In line with Singapore Tourism Board’s ongoing ‘Get Lost and Find the Real Singapore’ campaign the 90-minute episode aims to showcase the real Singapore beyond the familiar like the Singapore Sling, Chilli Crab and Orchard Road to challenge Australians to seek out the unfamiliar in Singapore.

Showcasing an assortment of things to see in Singapore, the episode is bound to tempt the taste buds with authentic Singaporean recipes cooked by Fast Ed atop the skypark of Marina Bay Sands, while Graham will discover 2012′s hottest new attraction, the gigantic 101-hectare Gardens by the Bay, highlighting the city’s green transformation.

Dr. Harry will also bring you up close and personal with animals you’ve never seen before at one of the world’s best zoos.

Singapore Tourism Board Area Director Sandra Leong comments, “We are confident the Better Homes and Gardens Singapore special will show a different side of Singapore that will persuade more Australians to put Singapore on their destinations-to-do-list. Singapore is filled with a vibrant mix of cultural experiences, green spaces, mouth-watering hawker food, unique shopping finds in little back alleys and 24-hour attractions – which travellers will have to get beneath the skin of the city to find.”

Viewers will also be encouraged to get lost and find the real Singapore like the Better Homes and Gardens team, with the enhanced Singapore Stopover Holiday deal promoted through the program. The new deal will offer Aussies amazing stopover accommodation and attraction deals. This includes free admission to Gardens by the Bay, Universal Studios Singapore and walking tours of historically-rich culture areas when they fly with Singapore Airlines before September 2013.

Tune in to Better Homes and Gardens at 7.30pm this Friday to Get Lost and Find the Real Singapore for yourself!

Get Lost and Find the Real Singapore here

Better Homes & Gardens Gets Lost in Singapore

4 in 10 S"poreans married foreigners in 2012

SINGAPORE — Married to an American who works in the US Army, Ms Rachel Tang, 30, a Singaporean civil servant, has considered giving up her Singapore citizenship for an American one to enjoy the opportunities open to its citizens.

Yet, she is reluctant to let go of what Singapore has to offer, such as “the good education system and higher economic growth” here compared to some parts of the United States.

Meanwhile, Mr Wier Thong, 29, a Singaporean sales associate, is married to Madam Jessie Li Jie, 30, from China, whose Chinese passport is an obstacle to them travelling because of the visa requirements. However, with ageing parents to care for back home, Mdm Li, who holds a Long-Term Visit Pass, does not want to give up her Chinese citizenship.

Ms Tang and Mr Thong are among the growing pool of Singaporeans who marry non-Singaporeans.

And as the Government looks at ways to strengthen its Singaporean core while growing its population, Ms Tang and Mr Thong hope that it will, for instance, reconsider its stand on dual citizenship so they need not be torn between two countries.

Last year, 9,000 marriages registered in Singapore — or about four in 10 — involved a Singaporean and a non-Singaporean. That figure has held steady for the past five years.

In the White Paper on population released yesterday, the Government said that Singapore’s immigration policy “must also take into account” this growing proportion, including children born to Singaporean citizens overseas.

Analysts whom TODAY spoke to said that if this trend continues, it may prompt policymakers to reconsider dual citizenship, although they stressed that changing the law is not the only way to encourage this group to “sink in their roots”.

Sociologist and former Nominated Member of Parliament Paulin Straughan, a staunch advocate of dual citizenship, called for more measures such as courting and engaging children below 21 born overseas and who carry dual citizenship, to make them feel that Singapore is their home.

“Many of them have already been educated here … allow them to sink in their roots, build their careers without fear that they have to give up their Singapore citizenship,” urged Associate Professor Straughan, adding that the ones who stay would “contribute meaningfully” to Singapore society.

In 2011, about 2,000 children were granted citizenship upon registration by their parents.

Assoc Prof Straughan also suggested a “differentiated system” where only children with one Singaporean parent be allowed dual citizenship. But Member of Parliament Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang GRC) said dual citizenship could cause a “loss of identity”. People could also exploit the system, such as finding ways out of obligations like National Service, he pointed out.

Senior research fellow Leong Chan Hoong at the Institute of Policy Studies said dual citizenship is becoming increasingly common. Although the Government has never said “no” to the proposition, the understanding is that “the time is not right”, he noted.

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4 in 10 S"poreans married foreigners in 2012

Singapore offers a glimpse of its future

[SINGAPORE] A couple of days after projecting that the population could rise to upto 6.9 million by 2030, the government yesterday revealed how they might be accommodated without Singapore feeling the squeeze.

Reclamation alone will raise the land area by up to 5,200 hectares or 7.3 per cent – much of it in Tuas Port, Pulau Tekong and Jurong Island. Some of the existing 10,000 ha stock of reserve land will be tapped. Old industrial areas and some golf courses will be recycled to achieve higher land productivity. Infrastructure permitting, land use can be intensified.

Singapore’s current population of about 5.3 million live on 71,400 ha of land. By 2030, some 76,600 ha could be available.

Analysts have already started debating the impact that this Land Use Plan would have on the property market. The government highlighted that the pace at which land will be rolled out may depend on market conditions.

Singapore offers a glimpse of its future

Portrait of artists as Filipino

Portrait of artists as Filipino

Details

Published on Thursday, 31 January 2013 23:00

Written by ARNEL RAMOS

By A Web design Company

WHERE Philippine art is concerned and its relevance to a people whose foremost concerns can be narrowed down to securing three meals in a day, sending children to school and laughing at the sarcastic punchlines of comedian Vice Ganda on the tube, the last one the most inexpensive means of escape from their dreary, colorless lives, writers are often left stupefied, prone to designing a big lamentation piece.

All it takes to ease the gnawing feeling that Pinoys, especially the poor and marginalized, regard paintings, sculptures, installation pieces, and other things of wonder and beauty with scant interest are a few minutes of free-flowing exchange with Geraldine de Borja-Araneta, one of the organizers of Art Fair Philippines 2013. 

De Borja-Araneta brims with optimism and bristles with faith in what the Filipino artists are capable of. She is – make no mistake about it – grounded and acknowledges that the territory is plagued with all sorts of dilemmas, but you would not hear a single whine from her. For this passionate woman, there is work to be done and there is simply no time to waste.

Eureka moment

De Borja-Araneta’s deep commitment to the arts did not follow a grand design. It came to her almost by serendipity. After finishing Humanities from UP Diliman, Dindin (that’s how close associates address this seemingly indefatigable lady) found herself at a standstill. “When I graduated from school,” she recalls, “I was trying to figure out (what to do). I had certain interests but I didn’t have specific interests. Yet I needed to find work. I was like any fresh graduate who didn’t know what I really wanted to do in life but (I knew) I was interested in learning.”

A visit to the famous Louvre Museum in Paris some time later provided the answer. “I had the chance to see the exhibition of the Winged Victory of Samothrace. It was on top of the stairs and it was installed so beautifully and so eloquently and so elegantly,” remembers Dindin.

The Winged Victory of Samothrace, also called the Nike of Samothrace, is a 2nd Century BC marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike (Victory). Since 1884, it has been prominently displayed at the Louvre and is one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world. The moment, adds Dindin, was so entrancing that words escaped her. “Right away, when I came home (to Manila), I knew that that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Fortunately, there was an opening at the Ayala Museum then and I applied right away. And ever since then, 20 years later, I had been carrying on the torch, working with different institutions.”

The need for museum education

Philippine arts and culture is not without its share of challenges. There is, for instance, the question of funding. “There is, however, better effort and funding in the last 10 years. We can cite the National Museum, the government gave them half a billion budget. But before, it was always about if you have money, you have to patch the roof. It always becomes an infrastructure concern. If you’re just maintaining the building, how do you exhibit a collection? It’s a matter of how you harness your resources and towards what direction can you harness your resources for the institution to flourish.”

Thankfully, non-profit groups like the Synergia Foundation have been showing unwavering support. “It has devoted money to arts education and museum education,” notes Dindin. “I started my career in 1992. What we’ve not been able to get a significant handle on is really museum education. You really have to integrate it into the curriculum. It’s (art appreciation) instilled but you have to be able to support it with the educational and cultural infrastructure, with the family structure. You have to be able to support it with the whole community just wanting to work with arts and culture as a platform for education. It’s being done, it’s happening but it has to be sustainable. You have to go beyond one exhibit, one Art Fair, one education program.”

All sectors coming together for a common goal is key. “The government and the private sector have to work together. It’s like with anything in this country, all sectors have to cooperate. We also need the senators to help us. But there are people in the government who are interested to help out but the problem with arts is that it’s a sideline eh.”

It is a sad fact that bears retelling. “In other countries, the First World Countries,” points out Dindin, “the cultural institutions are so well-managed. It has to do rin talaga with the economy of the country.”

That is quite a pity if we are to take into consideration that Pinoy artists, in terms of talent, skills, and discipline, are at par with the best of the world. “For a country like ours where the people are so artistic, (nakakalungkot). When you go to other countries, they have the money for culture but not necessarily the soul.”

Focus on Philippine art

Still, there is no denying that these are interesting times for Pinoy art. “Philippine art as well as Southeast Asian art, the interest is moving to this side of the world. Recently, the Guggenheim Museum (in New York) put up an exhibition of Southeast Asian art and they had a curator from Singapore and one of our homegrown artists Norberto Roldan was one of those featured in it.”

Filipino artists and galleries have also been participating in art fairs and museum exhibitions all over the globe. “There are also collectors now interested in Philippine art,” says Dindin. “Everything happened in the last maybe 6 to 8 years.”

And if the rest of the world is slowly paying attention to Philippine art, wouldn’t it be strange if Filipinos themselves – and by that, we mean every Juan de la Cruz, regardless of age and station in life – would be deprived of the chance to appreciate their own?

With that in mind, Dindin and her partners thought of holding Art Fair Philippines. Dubbed as “art in a car park,” Art Fair Philippines was a two-year pet project. “My partners and I are members of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines. We’re volunteers there, we organize an affordable art fair called Art in the Park where the price points are 30 thousand and below. The reception has been very enthusiastic and we’ve had 7 incarnations of Art in the Park.”

Much has been said about Art Fair Philippines 2013’s novel concept – that of using a car park as venue to showcase the best of Philippine modern and contemporary art. From February 7 to 10, Makati City plays host to Art Fair Philippines 2013, which shall be held at the The Link car park located between Makati Shangri-La Hotel and Landmark. Visitors will be welcomed at an especially-commissioned reception desk – made entirely of San Miguel Beer crates – by Norberto “Peewee” Roldan, Jr. “It was a mutually exciting experience for the organizers, for all the partners, and for all the galleries. We could also have chosen to set it up in an events venue but the character of the fair would also have been different eh. We also wanted something that would stand out as an event,” explains Dindin of the choice of venue.

It is, in a way, inspired by the Armory Show, a leading international contemporary and modern art fair that takes place every March on Piers 92 and 94 in central Manhattan in New York. “Although we knew about that, we didn’t know when we were planning it a year and a half ago that we would end up in this venue.”

The logistics, says Dindin, are expectedly something to hurdle. But then again, Dindin and her partners are the kind who shrugs at the thought of what is perceived to be unimaginable and undo-able. “We had to board up the place,” shares Dindin, her eyes quickly running the breadth of the parking area that in less than two weeks at the time of our interview would transform into a sort of haven for Philippine art. “We have to construct the space, and get air-conditioning, wire everything, get wi-fi.”

Looking into Dindin’s kind, benevolent eyes, one almost sees a clear picture of this not-to-be-missed affair. Consider this: twenty-four invited galleries and art groups, chosen for carefully edited selections from their roster of artists, will mount especially curated shows. Tin-Aw Art Gallery will feature a solo show by Mark Justiniani, while Canvas will work with six artists, including Elmer Borlongan, Emmanuel Garibay, and Don Salubayba, on the theme “Looking for Juan in Basketball.” Salcedo Auctions will have works by London-based Filipino artist David Cortez Medalla, National Artist J. Elizalde Navarro, and from the estate of Onib Olmedo. Other major galleries participating are Silverlens, The Drawing Room, Galleria Duemila, Blanc, Artinformal, Manila Contemporarary, Finale Art File, West Gallery, MO_Space, Boston Gallery, among others. Taking center stage is “Asphalt,” a rambling installation by sculptor Gabriel Barredo. Ronald Ventura will showcase his artwork, too.

Dindin avows that Art Fair Philippines will not be a mere confluence of works that highlight Pinoy ingenuity, craftsmanship, and creativity. The effect targeted is that of being provided with a multilayered experience. As such, lectures will be held at the Ayala Museum and art installations will adorn select areas within Ayala Center.

At the heart of it, Art Fair Philippines aims to bring art closer to people – students, art aficionados, even the merely curious. Because as things stand, art should not alienate people. It is meant to be savored, marveled at, celebrated. “ It’s always important to understand your history as a people, your culture,” states Dindin De Borja-Araneta and we couldn’t agree more.

Art is for everyone

While we are at it, art should just as well blur the lines between the rich and the poor. That even in the face of our everyday woes and worries, it is never too daunting to make art possible. At its core, art is tantamount to the act of creating. Even in the littlest manifestations, art can be gleaned. “Like a child who ventures out to pick flowers of every hue,” we offer which Dindin finishes for us, “and then she proceeds to organize it.”

It really is, Dindin De Borja-Araneta agrees and we nod our head vigorously. And like that moment that changed the course of this woman’s life – unfazed in her personal advocacy by the ills and setbacks that characterize the other side of the Philippine art scene – many moons ago at the Louvre while staring at a work of extraordinary splendor, words are suddenly rendered mute.

 

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Portrait of artists as Filipino

Singapore announces new attractions to encourage Filipinos to travel there

A SIGN that things are picking up for most Filipinos is that more of them are traveling.

With summer a few months away, Singapore Tourism Board’s area director for the Philippines and Brunei Sherina Chan hopes to get many Filipino travelers with a slew of new attractions Singapore is offering for tourists.

Chan said most Filipinos view Singapore as an expensive destination. She, however, is confident that the quality and variety of what Singapore has to offer makes travel to their country “sulit.”

She said Filipino visitors are some of their fastest growing international tourists, ranking third after China and Taiwan. Filipino tourists are also their sixth largest market.

For the first half of last year, 349,000 Filipinos visited Singapore. Chan said that as 2012 was a good year for the Philippine economy, she expects this figure to be much higher when they get the full year results.

“Nowadays, more people are coming back. The notion of mahal has changed because there’s always something new. We’re evolving as a city,” Chan said.

Chan presented different attractions for those traveling as a family, as a couple or with a group of friends this summer, saying consumer research notes people travel differently depending on who they are with.

Most Filipinos travel as a family, she said.

This year, they are anticipating the opening of the River Safari by March. The attraction aims to present visitors with an up-close view of freshwater habitats and animals mirroring the great rivers of the world like the Nile, Amazon, Ganges, Mekong, Mississippi, Murray, Yangtze and the Congo.

“With the opening of the River Safari, we hope to cement Singapore as the ultimate family-friendly destination,” Chan said.

For those who cannot get enough of marine life, Resorts World Sentosa also recently opened the Marine Life Park, an oceanarium and waterpark.

Also new in Singapore is Gardens By the Bay, a complex of glasshouses and conservatories for different plants and flowers.

They expect groups of friends to enjoy the Big Wig Music Festivals in April at the Fort Canning Park and the Asian Fashion Exchange, an event that promotes new fashion designers around Asia.

Also on its 20th year is the Great Singapore Sale from May 31 to July 28. Groups also enjoy pub hopping in Singapore and that pub crawling tours are also available.

They hope to see more couples try out the Singapore Flyer, a giant observation wheel made up of fully-air conditioned capsules with views of Singapore’s cityscape. Special capsules are also available for exclusive use for those who want a different dining experience. They are offering breakfast, high tea, canapés and special dinners. They also have exclusive offers for Valentine’s Day.

Chan said foodies can plan their visit during the World Street Food Congress beginning May 31 and have a taste of different street food from around the world. The festival also features street food aficionados Anthony Bourdain and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Singapore announces new attractions to encourage Filipinos to travel there

Regional countries eye share of booming gaming industry

Investment group Lippo announced last week plans to build a hotel complex in South Korea with casino floors, reflecting the desire of countries in the region to grab a share of Asia’s fast-growing gaming industry.

In Macau, the world’s largest gaming destination, the casino industry recorded gross gaming revenue of 304.1 billion patacas last year, up 13.5 per cent from 2011.

Although growth is slowing – the industry grew 42.2 per cent in 2011 – it is expected to continue, supported by a strong mass market instead of the high-rolling VIP segment.

All six gaming licence holders in Macau are developing or planning to build facilities to attract more visitors.

Singapore, another major regional gaming hub, has developed a flourishing casino industry with gross revenue in excess of US$6 billion a year from two casinos – Resorts World and Marina Bay Sands – according to Britain-based Global Betting and Gaming Consultants (GBGC).

“We would expect that to increase to US$6.4 billion by 2013, which is significant compared to the US$6.05 billion of gross gaming yield from all the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip,” GBGC chief executive Warwick Bartlett said.

Several countries, including Vietnam and Cambodia, have been trying to develop a gaming industry to help their economies.

Even in secretive North Korea, as early as 1999, Hong Kong businessman Albert Yeung Sau-shing’s Emperor Group opened a hotel-casino project in the Rason special economic zone. Operational details are not available as the assets are not included in the listed company’s accounts, according to a spokeswoman who declined to be named.

In July last year, the residents of the tiny island of Matsu, off Taiwan, voted for the construction of a casino resort.

Japan, faced with an unpromising economic outlook, has discussed establishing principles for the development of integrated resorts as internationally competitive and attractive destinations.

Bartlett said the emergence of plans for casinos in the region was attributable to a great degree to China, where a wealthy middle class is growing.

“The Chinese customer is clearly important, and the success of Macau demonstrates that,” he said.

Emperor Securities analyst Chelsey Tam said for the Lippo complex, South Korea’s proximity to northeast China and Japan might entice gamblers.

South Korea’s government announced in July last year that a US$290 billion project called 8City would be built near Incheon airport.

The huge project is called 8City because the number eight sounds like wealth in Chinese.

“In fact, the 8City project is quite interesting – three times bigger than Macau, with casinos, hotels, shopping malls, theme parks, car racing tracks, ski slopes and a marina,” Tam said.

But analysts do not think Macau’s leading position is under threat by its emerging rivals.

“The Korean 8City complex won’t be a threat to Macau in the short run, as it is scheduled to open in 2030,” Tam said.

Bartlett said he believed Macau was one of the most secure gaming markets in the world.

“It is difficult to find anything negative about the prospects for Macau,” he said.

“Access is to be improved through the new bridge, and many Chinese citizens have yet to visit Macau, so whatever competition comes along, Macau will be fine.”

Lippo has a 20 per cent stake in the South Korean project; US casino giant Caesars Entertainment, which will build and operate the casino, has 40 per cent; and another partner has the remainder.

Bartlett said the project would be welcome news to Caesars shareholders.

“Caesars has been desperate to get into Asia and has so far been left behind by Wynn, MGM and Las Vegas Sands,” he said.

“The investment by Caesars is interesting, because so far they have no assets of significance in Asia. They have been left behind, and this investment would correct that.”

Regional countries eye share of booming gaming industry

Kate Middleton"s Nose Proves It: She"s The Perfect Woman

This week in the Wonderful Media Circus of Kate Middleton: Kate’s got the most enviable nose in all the land and all the non-royal, large-nosed plebeians are rushing off to the plastic surgeon to duchess-ify their noses.

Britain’s biggest cosmetic surgery provider Transform reported earlier this week that Catherine’s nose was the most-requested celebrity facial feature in 2012. “Good Morning America” investigated the claim, tracking down a woman who said she requested the duchess’ schnoz from her Manhattan plastic surgeon.

In short, Kate has the Best Nose. But hold the phone. Come to think of it, doesn’t she also have…

The Best “Natural” Beauty: St. Ives polled 1,000 British women, asking which UK celebrity was the most “naturally beautiful.” Of course, Kate won.

The Best Hair: British haircare retailer Fabriah.com conducted a study of the “most iconic hair.” Obviously the duchess’ bouncy brunette waves came out on top.

The Best Brows: According to the Daily Mail, Kate’s strong brows have sparked a trend among British women, causing them to seek eyebrow transplants or other brow-boosting remedies.

The Best Wardrobe: Many a site has declared Kate the best-dressed in all the land, including Vanity Fair in its annual International Best-Dressed List of 2012.

The Best Hats: The Headwear Association, a group that promotes “hats and headwear awareness worldwide,” declared the Duchess of Cambridge “Hat Person Of The Year” in 2012. Not sure what that means, but OK.

The Best Marriage: British TV channel Watch conducted a poll to find the most perfect celebrity couples. Guess which duke and duchess came out on top?

The Best Dog: Kate and Will’s puppy Lupo earned the #50 spot on Tatler’s “Most Fascinating” list, because he “likes polo matches and Prince Harry, but hates corgis.”

The Best “Happiness”: Yep, Kate was voted Britain’s happiest celebrity. She has more happiness than all of us. Probably because of the factors stated above.

So there you have it, folks: Kate Middleton is the greatest person alive, according to a series of random polls, arbitrary lists and headlines. As if you needed any proof.

Drink in Kate’s awesomeness:

Loading Slideshow

• Royal tour of the Far East and South Pacific – Day Eight

  The Duchess of Cambridge gets into costume with locals at Vaiaku Falekaupule during a visit to Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, during a nine-day royal tour of the Far East and South Pacific in honour of the Queens Diamond Jubilee.

• Royal tour of the Far East and South Pacific – Day Two

  The Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, as part of a nine-day tour of the Far East and South Pacific, with the Duke of Cambridge, in honour of the Queens Diamond Jubilee.

• Royal tour of the Far East and South Pacific – Day Two

  The Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, as part of a nine-day tour of the Far East and South Pacific, with the Duke of Cambridge, in honour of the Queens Diamond Jubilee.

• Royal tour of the Far East and South Pacific – Day Three

  The Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to the Kranji War Memorial in Singapore, as part of a nine-day tour of the Far East and South Pacific, with the Duke of Cambridge, in honour of the Queens Diamond Jubilee.

• The Duchess of Cambridge visits the Olympic Park

  The Duchess of Cambridge plays hockey with the GB hockey teams at the Riverside Arena in the Olympic Park.

• London Olympic Games – Day 10

  Duchess of Cambridge watches the Olympic Laser Radial medal race off Weymouth today.

• Olympics Day 13 – Around the Games

  LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – AUGUST 9: Prince Harry and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit athletes at Team GB House in the Westfield Centre on Day 13 of the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 9, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by John Stillwell – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

• Olympics Day 14 – Hockey: New Zealand v Great Britain

  LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 10: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends the Women’s Hockey bronze medal match between New Zealand and Great Britain on Day 14 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Riverbank Arena Hockey Centre on August 10, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

• London Paralympic Games – Day 1

  LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – AUGUST 30: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge leaves the Velodrome after watching cycling events at the London 2012 Paralympic Games on August 30, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

• London Paralympic Games – Day 1

  LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – AUGUST 30: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Aquatic Centre in the Olympic Park to watch the evening swimming session at the London 2012 Paralympic Games on August 30, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

• 2012 London Paralympics – Day 1 – Cycling – Track

  LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 30: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge claps on day 1 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Velodrome on August 30, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

• 2012 London Paralympics – Day 4 – Athletics

  LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 02: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge takes part in the medal ceremony for the Men’s Discus Throw – F42 on day 4 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 2, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

• 2012 London Paralympics – Day 4 – Athletics

  LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 02: Gold medalist Aled Davies of Great Britain is presented his medal by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during the medal ceremony for the Men’s Discus Throw – F42 on day 4 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 2, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Miles Willis/Getty Images)

• 2012 London Paralympics – Day 4 – Rowing

  WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 02: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Eton Dorney venue to watch the days rowing competitions on day 4 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Eton Dorney on September 2, 2012 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images)

• Royals Attend Thistle Service – Edinburgh

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends the Thistle Service for the installation of Prince William, Earl of Strathearn as a Knight of the Thistle at St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh on July 5, 2012

• Diamond Jubilee – Service of Thanksgiving At St Pauls Cathedral

  Kate Duchess of Cambridge arrives at a service of thanksgiving at St Pauls Cathedral, London as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations Tuesday June 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Tim Hales, Pool)

• Royal visit to Nottingham

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smiles as she visits Vernon Park during a Diamond Jubilee visit to Nottingham on June 13, 2012.

• Queen Elizabeth II Hosts A Garden Party At Buckingham Palace

  LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – MAY 29: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends a garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 29, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Anthony Devlin – WPA Pool /Getty Images)

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend Imperial War Museum reception

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends a reception at the Imperial War Museum in London on April 26, 2012.

• Royal visit to Leicester

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge listens to a welcome speech in Leicester City Centre as she accompanies The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to Leicester on March 8, 2012. The visit marks the first of Queen Elizabeth lls Diamond Jubilee tours of the UK.

• St Patrick’s Day Parade

  The Duchess of Cambridge as she presents shamrocks to The Irish Guards at their St Patricks Day Parade at the Mons Barracks in Aldershot. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday March 17, 2012. Members of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards will receive traditional sprigs of shamrock from the Duchess of Cambridge at their St Patricks Day parade today. See PA story ROYAL Barracks. Photo credit should read: Paul Vicente/Sunday Times/PA Wire

• Duchess of Cambridge visits East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge officially opens The Treehouse Childrens Hospice in Ipswich on March 19, 2012.

• Lucian Freud Portraits exhibition – London

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits the National Portrait Gallery on London on February 8, 2012.

• War Horse UK Film Premiere – London

  Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the UK Premiere of War Horse at the Odeon, Leicester Square on January 8, 2012

• The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Diamond Jubilee Tour – Day 2

  SINGAPORE – SEPTEMBER 12: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits Gardens by the Bay on day 2 of the Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East on September 12, 2012 in Singapore. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are on a Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East taking in Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and the tiny Pacific Island of Tuvalu. (Photo by Mark Large – Pool/Getty Images)

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 1st wedding anniversary

  File photo dated 21/04/12 ofthe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Santa Barbara Polo Club in California, USA, where the Duke will play in a charity match.

• Kate Middleton

  Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, attends a rodeo demonstration at the Calgary Stampede on Thursday, July 7, 2011, in Calgary, Alberta. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Canada – Day Eight

  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave the BMO Centre after a Rodeo reception, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Canada – Day Two

  The Duchess of Cambridge during her visit to the Canadian Museum of Civilisation in Gatineau, Quebec, where she and the Duke of Cambridge watched new citizens receive their Citizen certificates on Canada Day.

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Canada – Day One

  The Duchess of Cambridge waves to well-wishers, as she and the Duke of Cambridge arrive at the Rideau Hall in Ottawa Canada.

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Canada – Day Seven

  The Duchess of Cambridge at Parliament Hill in Ottawa for Canada Day celebrations on the second day of her visit to the Commonwealth country.

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Canada – Day Eight

  The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Calgary Airport, Canada.

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Canada – Day Seven

  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge watch the Canada Days Evening show on Parliament Hill in Ottawa for Canada on the second day of their visit to the Commonwealth country.

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 1st wedding anniversary

  File photo dated 05/07/11 ofthe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Blachford Lake near Yellowknife.

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Canada – Day Five

  The Duchess of Cambridge arrives in the province of Prince Edward Island during their visit to Canada.

• Prince’s Trust concert – London

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Royal Albert Hall in London to attend a concert in support of the Princes Trust and The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry on December 6, 2011.

• 2011 BAFTA Brits To Watch Event

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the 2011 BAFTA Brits To Watch Event at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

• Royal visit to open hospital unit

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge visit to The Royal Marsden Hospital on September 29, 2011 in Sutton, England.

• Prince’s Trust concert – London

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Royal Albert Hall in London to attend a concert in support of the Princes Trust and The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry on December 6, 2011.

• 2011 BAFTA Brits To Watch Event

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge arrive at the 2011 BAFTA Brits To Watch Event at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

• William at 30

  File photo dated 30/04/11 ofthe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walking hand in hand from Buckingham Palace in London the day after their wedding.

• The Royal Wedding

  The Duchess of Cambridge leaves Clarence House to travel to Buckingham Palace for the evening celebrations following her wedding earlier.

• The Royal Wedding

  Catherine Middleton arrives at Westminster Abbey with her sister and Maid of Honour Pippa Middleton to marry Prince William on April 29, 2011.

• Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge stand outside of Westminster Abbey after their Royal Wedding in London. AP Photo/Martin Meissner

• President Obama state visit to UK- Day One

  The wife of U.S. President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama (R), talks to Britains Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace, in London May 24, 2011. President Barack Obama on Tuesday begins a visit to Britain where he and Prime Minister David Cameron will review NATO action to help end conflict in Libya and Western policy towards uprisings in the Arab world. REUTERS/Toby Melville (BRITAIN – Tags: POLITICS SOCIETY ROYALS)

• William and Kate visit Sutton – London

  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge visit to The Royal Marsden Hospital on September 29, 2011 in Sutton, England.

• The Chakravarty Cup Polo Match

  TETBURY, UNITED KINGDOM – JULY 10: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Kate Middleton watches Prince William and Prince Harry play in the Chakravarty Cup polo match at the Beaufort Polo Club on July 10, 2010 in Tetbury, England. (Photo by Indigo/Getty Images)

• Prince William and Kate Middleton Attend Harry Meade And Rosie Bradford’s Wedding

  CHELTENHAM, UNITED KINGDOM – OCTOBER 23: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Kate Middleton attends Harry Meade Rosie Bradford’s wedding at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Northleach, on October 23, 2010 in Cheltenham, England. (Photo by Indigo/Getty Images)

• Royal engagement

  Prince William and Kate Middleton pose for photographs in the State Apartments of St James Palace on November 16, 2010 in London. After much speculation, Clarence House today announced the engagement of Prince William to Kate Middleton. The couple will get married in either the Spring or Summer of next year and continue to live in North Wales while Prince William works as an air sea rescue pilot for the RAF. The couple became engaged during a recent holiday in Kenya having been together for eight years.

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge waxworks

  File photo dated 16/11/2010 of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during a photocall in the State Apartments of St Jamess Palace, London to mark their engagement.

• Princes William And Harry Compete In The Dorchester Polo Trophy

  CIRENCESTER, UNITED KINGDON – JUNE 07: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Kate Middleton watches HRH Prince William and HRH Prince Harry compete in The Dorchester Trophy polo match at Cirencester Park Polo Club on June 7, 2009 in Cirencester, England. (Photo by Indigo/Getty Images)

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Kate Middleton"s Nose Proves It: She"s The Perfect Woman

IAEE Renews Agreement with SACEOS

IAEE Renews Agreement with SACEOS

1/31/2013
-
Tuesday, January 29, 2013, the International Association of Exhibitions and Events™ (IAEE) announces it has renewed its agreement with the Singapore Association of Convention Exhibition Organisers Suppliers (SACEOS) during the inaugural MICE Connect event last week in Singapore. Both the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and SACEOS are very supportive partners of IAEE and they represent Singapore’s leading exhibition organizers as well as the suppliers of facilities and services.

IAEE President and CEO David DuBois, CMP, CAE, FASAE, CTA, participated in a panel discussion prior to the agreement signing to extend IAEE’s partnership with the intention of continued collaboration and information sharing on all products, services, meetings, and events that are offered by SACEOS and IAEE.

IAEE Asia Exhibition Council Chairman and Immediate Past President of SACEOS, Edward Liu said, “We are excited to continue our positive relationship with IAEE and look forward to expanding our efforts as they are mutually beneficial. Our collaboration will provide members of both organizations a multitude of opportunities to further enhance and develop their careers in the exhibitions and events industry for their long-term success.”

As part of the agreement, IAEE recognizes SACEOS as a CEM licensee to provide the certification to exhibition and event industry professionals in Singapore. Both organizations will share research, data and information as well as create jointly sponsored activities and events to encourage interaction and participation between the leaders and members of each organization.

DuBois said, “I am very proud that IAEE has extended its agreement with SACEOS. This collaboration underscores a key objective of IAEE’s strategic mission of continuing to engage international organizations and members to create paths for members to succeed on a global basis.”

About IAEE
Trusted since 1928, IAEE provides quality and value to its members through leadership, service, education and strong relationships. IAEE is the largest association of the exhibitions and events industry in the world, with a membership of show organizers, exhibitors and exhibition suppliers. Organizers of more than 20,000 exhibitions and buyer-seller events around the world are members of IAEE. Through the 2006 consolidation with the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), IAEE delivers valuable industry research reports. IAEE also supports the IAEE Public Events Council, The International Center for Exhibitor and Event Marketing, and the Exhibition and Event Industry Audit Commission, which are IAEE councils that provide trusted resources to members. IAEE recognizes its strategic partners: American Airlines, ASP, Inc., Bearcom, Mexico Tourism Board, New Orleans Morial Convention Center, New Orleans Convention Visitors Bureau, Orange County Convention Center and Visit Orlando, Vertical Nerve, Inc. and VoiceLogic. Visit www.iaee.com for more information.

About SACEOS
Over the past 34 years, SACEOS has contributed significantly to making the best events venue for Asia. Dedicated to shaping the future of Singapore’s exhibitions, conventions and meeting industry, SACEOS works closely with the Singapore Government to chart the industry’s growth path and further the island state’s position as an International Exhibition City and Regional Convention Hub in Asia. With its commitment to excellence, SACEOS has developed a strong education and training program to ensure service quality for all events held in Singapore. In 2001, SACEOS was the first in the world to launch a set of technical references to raise the professionalism within the exhibition industry. SACEOS has also established a strong international network, which provides global connections for its members.

Contact:
sbrower@iaee.com

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Thai tycoon wins majority control of Singapore"s F&N

A Thai tycoon has clinched majority control of Singapore conglomerate Fraser and Neave Ltd., making his offer to fully take over the company unconditional.

TCC Assets, owned by Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, said in a statement late Wednesday that its stake in FN stands at 50.92 per cent after further purchases in the stock market and more shareholders accepting its offer.

More Related to this Story

• 
  Thai tycoon raises FN offer again – to $11-billion
  

• 
  Thai group buys $9.4-billion Ping An stake from HSBC
  

• 
  Thai-Dutch battle brewing over Singapore’s Tiger Beer
  

A bottling plant worker checks bottles of Black Power whisky for impurities. Banking and industry sources name Hong Kong-listed Kingway Brewery Holdings, China’s Beijing Yanjing Brewery Co. Ltd., India’s Tilaknagar Industries, and KKR Co.-backed South Korean Oriental Brewery as among potential takeover or joint venture targets for global brewers.
REUTERS

Gallery

In Pictures: Indian brewer joins race to tap growing Asian market

 

Video

Video: A family face-off over Singapore’s FN.

Bottles of Tiger and Heineken beers are pictured on the shelf of a grocery store in Singapore in this July 20, 2012 file photo
Reuters

Breweries

Video: Heineken finally swallows Tiger Beer

With majority control now in the hands of the Thai parties, “accordingly, the FN offer has become unconditional in all respects,” the statement added.

TCC Assets is offering to buy FN shares it does not already own at $9.55 Singapore ($7.80 U.S.) apiece, valuing the drinks, property and publishing conglomerate at $13.75-billion Singapore ($11.13-billion U.S.).

The deadline for the rest of the shareholders to accept the offer was extended from Feb. 4 to Feb. 18, according to the statement.

Indonesia-led property firm Overseas Union Enterprise averted a bidding war earlier this month when it declined to match the offer by the Thais. OUE is linked to Indonesian tycoon Mochtar Riady.

Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper has said if the takeover pushes through, it will be the biggest in the city-state’s corporate history.

FN became a takeover target after it sold off its most prized asset, Tiger Beer maker Asia Pacific Breweries, to Dutch giant Heineken NV in September.

It still has lucrative beverages, property and publishing operations.

Analysts believe more shareholders are likely to accept the offer as it is the only bid on the table.

The market, however, is closely watching whether Japanese brewer Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd., which holds a 15-per-cent stake in FN, will sell its interests or remain a minority shareholder.

Kirin had allied itself with OUE in the bidding war. Its 15-per-cent stake is worth more than $2.0 billion (Singapore) at the rate offered by TCC Assets.

Mr. Charoen’s TCC Group has a real estate unit, and the tycoon also owns Thai Beverage, which sells Chang beer.

More Related to this Story

• 
  Thai billionaire shakes up beer battle with $7.1-billion bid
  

• 
  Heineken wins control of Tiger beer maker APB
  

Thai tycoon wins majority control of Singapore"s F&N

Google Maps updated with North Korea details after crowdsourcing effort

e27.sg covers the startups, people and technologies that are changing Asia’s web and mobile ecosystem.

e27 is managed by Optimatic Pte Ltd, a community-centric media company.

Google Maps updated with North Korea details after crowdsourcing effort

Cabinet hands over Gwadar Port to China

Cabinet hands over Gwadar Port to China

* Approves government-to-government cooperation agreement with Iran on gas pipeline

By Sajid Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Wednesday approved a deal transferring control of Gwadar Port from Singapore to China.

Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira told newsmen that Singapore’s Port Singapore Authority (PSA) International could not develop the Gwadar Port, and expressed the hope that after its transfer to China it would better contribute to Pakistan’s deteriorating economy. Singapore’s PSA International began running the port five years ago under a contract valid for up to 40 years, but has decided to withdraw from it.

According to detailed reports, the government of Pakistan reached a decision to hand over the Gwadar Port to China when the PSA decided to leave it due to non-handing over of allocated land required by the Authority for making the port fully operational. However, Kaira said that the PSA International could not operate Gwadar port, therefore the government had to transfer it from Singapore to China.

“The Chinese will make more investments to make the project operational,” Kaira said, adding that the “cabinet has approved transferring port from PSA to a Chinese company, whereas PSA have decided to leave the port at Gwadar”. The minister said that both the companies have settled their deal, but did not give a timetable for the transfer. Gwadar Port, for which China provided about 75 percent of the initial $250 million, is close to the Pakistan-Iran border and the Strait of Hormuz.

The cabinet also approved government-to-government cooperation agreement with Iran on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work along with financing for the Pakistan segment of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. A committee consisting of ministers for finance, law and justice, petroleum and national resources and State Bank of Pakistan governor was formed to further analyse the project.

The committee would explore possibilities to arrange funding for the project. The information minister said that the cabinet considered, discussed and accorded approval to the Strategic Trade Policy Framework 2012-15 (STPF-2012-15) and the Commerce Ministry would hold a briefing on Thursday (today) about the various aspects of the policy.

The cabinet also approved Ombudsman Institutional Reforms Bill 2013 subject to vetting by the Ministry of Law to provide speedy justice to the people. The law will now be placed before parliament for approval. The tenure of the office of federal ombudsmen would be four years, and all the public sector organisations would be bound to reply to it within fifteen days.

The cabinet granted approval, in principle, to start negotiations on an MoU to establish sister cities relationship between Tunis and Islamabad. It also okayed signing of an MoU on cooperation for environmental protection with the government of Republic of Korea. Negotiations for an MoU between the governments of Philippines and Pakistan for Defence cooperation were also approved. The cabinet sanctioned signing of negotiated draft visa abolition agreement between the governments of Pakistan and Jordan for the holders of diplomatic and official passports. It also accorded its approval, in principle, to start negotiations for visa abolition agreement between the governments of Pakistan and Tanzania for the holders of diplomatic and official passports.

Home |
Main

Cabinet hands over Gwadar Port to China

Uber Comes To Asia, Starts Trials In Singapore

Uber has brought its premium taxi calling app to Singapore—the first country in Asia to get it. The company has been trialing its service here for the past week.

According to users who have tried it out here, it runs Mercedes Benz S-Class sedans, setting it above the usual smaller Toyota cabs that the dominant service, ComfortDelGro runs.

Of course, it charges a premium for the luxury, and fares are about 50 percent more costly than the regular cab, going for about $5 as a base charge and costing $10 as a minimum fare on top of that. Here’s the price list for Singapore.

The company is planning its official launch in the island state around late February, and has started hiring a small base of local staff. It was speculated that Uber would choose Tokyo for its Asian debut, since its founder, Travis Kalanick, had visited the land of the rising sun to explore the option. Hong Kong may also be next; Uber has hired someone on the ground there.

Uber has had its fair share of run-ins with the law in the US. Since its launch in 2010, Kalanick has been served with cease-and-desist letters from the California Public Utility Commission and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

He got one in Boston as well, got sued in Chicago, and faced blocks in Washington D.C..

In Singapore, taxi drivers are regulated by the government, so an individual cab driver that isn’t tied to any of the cab companies still needs a taxi license. Uber might circumvent this rule and not have to register itself as a taxi company here by claiming its cabs can’t be flagged on the road, and are private to those hailing them via their smartphones.

But since Kalanick isn’t new to lawsuits, the company looks like it’s taking its typical “launch first, ask questions later” approach to the market.

He plans to be in Singapore late February to launch the service officially.

• UBER

Uber, a San Francisco based technology startup is innovating at the intersection of mobile technology, car transportation logistics. The Uber experience captures the elite limo experiences and transforms it into an on demand service that fits an efficient and modern lifestyle.

→ Learn more

Uber Comes To Asia, Starts Trials In Singapore

Brazil unveils official poster for 2014 World Cup

LONDON (Reuters) – Wayne Rooney maintained Manchester United’s handy knack of overturning deficits with two goals as the leaders beat Southampton 2-1 at Old Trafford to move seven points clear in the Premier League on Wednesday. Champions Manchester City’s 0-0 draw at bottom club Queens Park Rangers 24 hours earlier paved the way for United to widen the gap but Jay Rodriguez silenced the home crowd after three minutes before Rooney’s double restored order before halftime. …

Brazil unveils official poster for 2014 World Cup

IAEE renews agreement with SACEOS - TravelDailyNews Asia

Collaboration

IAEE renews agreement with SACEOS

Tatiana Rokou – 30 January 2013, 11:57

Collaboration increases member benefits in Singapore

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DALLAS – The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) announces it has renewed its agreement with the Singapore Association of Convention Exhibition Organisers Suppliers (SACEOS) during the inaugural MICE Connect event last week in Singapore. Both the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and SACEOS are very supportive partners of IAEE and they represent Singapore’s leading exhibition organizers as well as the suppliers of facilities and services.

IAEE President and CEO David DuBois, CMP, CAE, FASAE, CTA, participated in a panel discussion prior to the agreement signing to extend IAEE’s partnership with the intention of continued collaboration and information sharing on all products, services, meetings, and events that are offered by SACEOS and IAEE.

IAEE Asia Exhibition Council Chairman and Immediate Past President of SACEOS, Edward Liu said, “We are excited to continue our positive relationship with IAEE and look forward to expanding our efforts as they are mutually beneficial. Our collaboration will provide members of both organizations a multitude of opportunities to further enhance and develop their careers in the exhibitions and events industry for their long-term success.”

As part of the agreement, IAEE recognizes SACEOS as a CEM licensee to provide the certification to exhibition and event industry professionals in Singapore. Both organizations will share research, data and information as well as create jointly-sponsored activities and events to encourage interaction and participation between the leaders and members of each organization.

DuBois said, “I am very proud that IAEE has extended its agreement with SACEOS. This collaboration underscores a key objective of IAEE’s strategic mission of continuing to engage international organizations and members to create paths for members to succeed on a global basis.”

IAEE renews agreement with SACEOS - TravelDailyNews Asia

"Juvana", RM 1.7 mil in 4 days

30 Jan – Local film “Juvana” did surprisingly well over the weekend (24 – 27 January), having opened in second place with a box office collection of RM 1.7 million amid tough competitors such as “Taxi! Taxi!”, “The Last Stand” and “Parker”. Mohamad Faisal bin Ishak directs this award-winning TV drama serial-turned-film, starring Zahiril Adzim in the lead as Daim, a youth who tries to get his life back on track after his release from juvenile prison when he was found not guilty.

Newcomer “Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters” easily claimed the top spot. The film is directed by Tommy Wirkola (“Dead Snow”), and stars Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as the titular Hansel and Gretel respectively. After they are abandoned by their father in the forest and almost cooked by a witch, the duo becomes bounty hunters that hunt witches.

In third place, is another newcomer, “Taxi! Taxi!”, a 2013 Singaporean comedy film based on “Diary Of A Taxi Driver” by Cai Mingjie, about “Singapore’s most well-educated taxi-driver”. The film’s modest start clearly benefited from the casting of veteran comedians Mark Lee and Gurmit Singh in the lead roles and its comedic premise.

In US and Singapore, “Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters” also led the box office, affirming that with well-known leads and a fresh new take on an old tale is enough to get audiences to check it out.

However, in US, last weekend’s winner, Andres Muschietti’s “Mama”, took second place, while in Singapore, it is Kathryn Bigelow’s critically acclaimed historical drama film, “Zero Dark Thirty”. The film is a dramatization of the American operation that killed Osama bin Laden, starring Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt, Mark Strong and Kyle Chandler.

In third place, it is “Zero Dark Thirty” for US and “The Impossible” in Singapore. In light of the awards season, it is no surprise that Oscar-related nominees will do fairly well in box offices.

Other new films that opened over the weekend not in the top three in Malaysia are “Parker” and “Race 2″.

Other new films that opened over the weekend not in the top three in Singapore are “Elles”, “The Tower”, “The Last Supper”, “The Expatriate”, “The Sessions”, “The Master” and “Race 2″.

"Juvana", RM 1.7 mil in 4 days

Takeover Fight Brews in Singapore for WBL

By BY P.R. VENKAT

SINGAPORE—Another fight is brewing in Singapore, this time over conglomerate WBL Corp.,

right on the heels of Southeast Asia’s biggest takeover battle, reflecting the city-state’s new position as the region’s deal capital.

Singapore-based property and engineering company United Engineers Ltd.

said Wednesday that it planned to bid US$545 million for the shares in WBL that it and its partners don’t already own, topping a US$445 million offer made this month by Straits Trading Co.

United Engineers said its bid is supported by some other WBL shareholders, including Oversea Chinese Banking Corp.

Group and Great Eastern Group, who together with United Engineering own 38.3% of WBL.

WBL’s business interests include property, technology and engineering. It also distributes such high-end automotive brands as Bentley, Bugatti and McLaren in a number of East Asian markets, including Singapore, China and Thailand. The company owns a 57% stake in Nasdaq-listed Multi-Fineline Electronix Inc. and a 77% stake in Singapore-listed MFS Technology Ltd.

Singapore became a hot destination for deals last year as local and foreign companies, seeking exposure to fast-growing Southeast Asia, vied for control of some of the city-state’s most storied names.

One of its oldest companies, Fraser Neave Ltd.,

was the subject of a months-long takeover battle between Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi and Indonesia’s Riady family. Mr. Charoen is poised to take control of Fraser Neave, a property and soft drinks conglomerate, after submitting the winning bid on Jan. 18, one that valued the company at US$11.2 billion.

Prior to that battle, Fraser Neave sold its stake in the company that brews Tiger beer to its joint-venture partner, Heineken NV,

for US$4.6 billion in September.

Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut AG

capped off Singapore’s big year in December, when it bought Petra Foods Ltd.’s

cocoa-ingredients business for US$950 million.

By the time 2012 had ended, Singapore ranked No. 1 in Southeast Asia for targeted mergers and acquisitions, with deal value for the year totaling US$38.34 billion, more than double the previous year’s amount, according to data provider Dealogic. Singapore’s share of such deals regionwide rose to nearly 40% last year.

The latest battle took shape on Wednesday, when United Engineers said in a filing to Singapore Exchange

that it will offer 4 Singapore dollars (US$3.25) a share to buy 61.7% of WBL, topping Straits Trading’s offer of S$3.41 a share or 1.07 shares of Straits Trading.

United Engineers, whose offer values WBL at S$1.1 billion, said it plans to finance the acquisition with internal funds, bank loans and debt to be raised under its S$500 million note program.

“For WBL shareholders, our offer provides a better alternative at a 19% premium to a competing cash bid,” United Engineers CEO Jackson Yap said in a statement.

Straits Trading and WBL declined to comment on United Engineers’ offer.

Straits Trading, which has interests in property, resources and hotels, said it and its partners have a combined 44.6% stake in WBL.

WBL’s shares have gained 5.3% this year, compared with a 3.6% gain for the benchmark Straits Times Index.

Write to P.R. Venkat at venkat.pr@wsj.com

Takeover Fight Brews in Singapore for WBL

More foreign guests get visas in Chennai

CHENNAI: An increasing number of foreign nationals are using the visa-on-arrival facility to visit Chennai because of the city’s bustling medical tourism market and with several international conferences being hosted here.

According to bureau of immigration officials, only Delhi and Mumbai receive more people of foreign nationality using the provision than Chennai, which welcomed 2,273 visitors using the facility in 2012, more than Bangalore and Hyderabad.

More citizens of Japan (4,604) made use of the provision to visit the country last year than people of any other country. New Zealand nationals (3,150) and those of the Philippines (2,444) accounted for the second and third highest numbers in 2012, according to data from the ministry of tourism.

Officials said most foreign nationals visited Chennai to attend conferences and for medical procedures. India offers the visa-on-arrival facility to citizens of 14 countries including Japan, Finland, Singapore and New Zealand. The ministry of external affairs last May extended the facility to French, German and Russian nationals.

Tourism companies confirm that more customers now get their visas when they arrive in the city. “Five years ago most visitors were people with ethnic links to Tamil Nadu, said Basheer Ahmed of Metro Travels. “Over the past three years, however, more foreign nationals started to use visas on arrival for business and medical reasons and even for shopping.

Indian and foreign airlines also committed more violations of passport rules last year. The bureau of immigration had from November 1 to January 29 fined various airlines a total of Rs 50 lakh for flying passengers into Chennai in violation of the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000.

The law is intended to make ‘carriers’, which includes the owners of airlines or ships, liable for bringing passengers to the country in contravention of provisions of the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920.

Carriers often bring people to the city from abroad without certifying that they hold valid travel documents or are entitled to the visa-on-arrival provision.

“There has been big rise in the number of foreign nationals visiting Chennai with the visa-on-arrival provision,” a senior immigration official said. Most of these visitors come to Chennai on invitation to conferences and other events as well as for healthcare facilities at the city’s world-class hospitals. The official said the immigration department expects the numbers to increase further this year.

More foreign guests get visas in Chennai

Welcome to Singapore

Welcome to Singapore

Welcome to Singapore

Global hotel pulse: Asia/Pacific news

Each week, HotelNewsNow.com features a news roundup from a different global region. Today’s roundup covers the Asia/Pacific region.

Regional hotel supply in 2012
The Asia/Pacific hotel industry opened 458 new hotels with 82,476 rooms in 2012, according to data from STR Global, sister company of HotelNewsNow.com.

Among the chain-scale segments, the upscale segment opened the most new rooms with 17,050 rooms in 79 hotels, followed by the upper-upscale segment (45 hotels with 15,463 rooms) and the economy segment (156 hotels with 14,194 rooms). The midscale segment (33 hotels with 7,253 rooms) and the upper-midscale segment (34 hotels with 7,031 rooms) added the fewest number of new rooms.

Asia/Pacific 2012 hotel performance
In 2012, the Asia/Pacific region’s occupancy ended the year virtually flat with a 0.5% increase to 68.3%, its average daily rate increased 0.9% to $129.26 and its revenue per available room was up 1.4% to $88.25, according to data from STR Global.

China’s economy exits slowdown with Q4 growth
China’s economic growth accelerated for the first time in two years as the country’s gross domestic product rose 7.9% in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to a report in Bloomberg. The National Bureau of Statistics released the figures in Beijing earlier this month.

Industrial output in December increased a more-than-expected 10.3%, and fixed-asset investment for the year gained 20.6%.

“China’s recovery is in quite good shape,” Zhu Haibin, chief China economist at JPMorgan Chase in Hong Kong, said in a telephone interview with Bloomberg. “Domestic pro-growth policies are likely to wane in mid-2013,” yet demand from abroad might pick up in the second half, he said.

Malaysia Airports launches airport hotel brand
Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad launched its new airport hotel brand, Sama-Sama, earlier this month. The launch of the Sama-Sama brand marks Malaysia Airports’ entry into the airport hotel sector and positions it as the region’s first dedicated operator of airside and landside airport hotels.

With this announcement, Malaysia Airports will own and operate the full-service Sama-Sama KL International Airport hotel adjacent to Kuala Lumpur International Airport as well as the existing transit hotel located at the satellite building of the airport.  The transit hotel will be rebranded as Sama-Sama Express Klia. With the completion of Klia2, Malaysia Airports also will operate its transit hotel, which will be called Sama-Sama Express Klia2.

Asia/Pacific hotel transaction volume to increase in 2013
Asia/Pacific hotel transaction volumes are projected to reach $3.5 billion in 2013 on the back of strong investment sentiment to buy hotel assets in the region, according to Jones Lang LaSalle’s latest Hotel Investment Outlook.

This projection represents an improvement on 2012 volumes, where hotel sales activity dropped 30% on the previous year to $3.3 billion. Australia and Japan are expected to see the lion’s share of investment dollars this year, while pockets of activity will be seen across the rest of the region.

Starwood announces focus on India and South Asia
Starwood Hotels Resorts earlier this month announced its continued focus on growth in India and South Asia. The company operates 34 hotels with 24 hotels in the pipeline. It aims to have 100 hotels under operation, development and management contracts signed by 2015 with eight out of nine Starwood brands flying their flag in India.

“Already our fourth largest market, India is comfortably poised to be second only to China in terms of our future global growth. India today is still an ‘under-hoteled’ market, and the demand for high-caliber lodging is expected to far exceed current supply for at least the next three to four years. As domestic travel increases and Indian travelers continue to demand more sophistication in terms of both quality and experience, we have significant opportunity to grow our brands across the spectrum in gateway cities, tertiary markets as well as in resort destinations,” said Stephen Ho, president of Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels and Resorts.

Indonesian visitor arrivals lead to hotel boosts
Global visitor arrivals to Indonesia in the first nine months of 2012 rose by 5% to 5.9 million from 5.6 million visitors during the same period of 2011, according to a recent HVS report.

The growth in visitor arrivals amid the global economic uncertainties indicates Indonesia remains one of Asia’s most popular destinations. The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy remains confident its target of receiving 8 million visitors in 2012 can be achieved.

With foreign investments in the tourism sector in Indonesia reaching $7.3 billion for the first nine months of 2012, compared with $2.5 billion for the same period in 2011, Indonesia has now become a destination that provides hotel developers and chains with significant opportunities for growth.

Emerging markets fraught with development risk
Location might be important, but timing is everything when developing a new hotel, writes HotelNewsNow.com’s Patrick Mayock.

That’s even truer when targeting development in emerging markets such as India or China, according to panelists during a breakout session titled “Investment and operating issues for hotels as cities evolve” during the Hotel Investment Forum India at the Leela Kempinski Gurgaon Hotel earlier this month.  

“The first decision is when to go into the market,” said Uttam Dave, president and CEO of InterGlobe Hotels, a joint venture between InterGlobe Enterprises and Accor, which operates seven Ibis hotels in India with an additional 12 under development.

Metropolises such as Delhi, where the conference was hosted, emerge so rapidly that making that decision is easier said than done, he added. To help, Dave said his team evaluates several key factors.

“We tend to err on the side of being risk averse,” he said. “The local people know the hotel market best. What is the extent of local market supply? How are they performing?” Other factors include the presence of grade-A office space and necessary infrastructure, such as power access and a sewer connection.

Key openings, transactions

• Pan Pacific opened the 367-room Parkroyal on Pickering in Singapore.
• The Ritz-Carlton Tianjin is slated to open mid-2013 in China. The 277-room property will reflect cultural European heritage in the district.
• Hilton Hotels Resorts opened the 99-villa Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat Spa in India.
• Accor announced the opening of the 242-room Pullman Hanoi in Vietnam’s capital city.
• Aston International announced it will debut the Quest brand in the Indonesian city of Solo. The 180-room Quest Hotel Solo is being developed by PT Kaloka Land Hotel Resort.
• Marriott International opened the 323-room Marriott Hotel Pudong East under a long-term management agreement with Shanghai Hengchang Industry.
• The 415-room Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort was announced earlier this month. It will operate under the ownership of PT Griya Pancaloka, a subsidiary of Agung Podomoro Land Tbk.

Compiled by Stephanie Wharton.

Global hotel pulse: Asia/Pacific news

One FC and its Quest to Conquer Asia

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Since the demise of
Pride Fighting Championships in 2007, countless organizations
have attempted to recreate what it once had. It is not often that a
sport’s power base shifts as suddenly and as irrevocably as MMA’s
did from Asia to North America in 2005-07. For half a decade, Japan
was the sport’s biggest stage, and, suddenly, it was barely
relevant in the big picture. A vacuum was left in the Asian MMA
scene that has not yet come close to being filled.

Japanese organizations like Sengoku,
K-1 Heroes and Dream popped
up with aspirations of recreating Pride, but none of them came
close. Smaller organizations like Pancrase and
Shooto
were not able to grow to new heights in the absence of the
previously dominant force. A falling tide sunk all boats. During a
period when Asia was the world’s fastest growing region
economically, Asian MMA underwent a precipitous decline. Japan
simply did not seem to care about MMA like it once did.

If Asia can regain the foothold it once possessed in the worldwide
MMA scene, the movement may have to be spearheaded outside the
familiar confines of the Saitama Super Arena or Yokohama Arena.
Some 3,000 miles south, inside a tiny island nation with one of the
world’s most prosperous and well developed economies, a young MMA
organization dreams of playing that role.

Singapore’s
One Fighting Championship runs its seventh event on Saturday in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With significant television deals, a
quality lineup of fighters, a network of affiliated gyms and solid
attendance for a series of shows in Southeast Asia, the promotion
shows promise. However, a long road and much work still remain if
the organization wants to live up to its lofty goals.

In the mid-2000s, Victor Cui was an executive for ESPN Star Sports
in Asia, tasked with locating new sports properties for the network
that owns the Asian broadcast rights to the likes of the World Cup,
Olympics, Major League Baseball and Wimbledon. He identified MMA as
a sport with great potential growth, but one that had a relatively
weak presence in Asia. The germ of the idea that would become One
FC was in place.

“MMA was the fastest growing sport in the world,” Cui told
Sherdog.com. “It was exploding everywhere else but non-existent in
Asia. That didn’t make sense because Asians love martial arts. You
see it all over the culture, where Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet
Li are household names. I looked at the market gap and realized how
big an opportunity it was.”

A few years later, Cui began promoting smaller MMA shows in
Singapore, learning the ins and outs of putting together events.
The shows were underwritten by casinos, like many of today’s
Bellator Fighting Championships events, allowing Cui to focus on
booking fights and building relationships with fighters and gyms.
Comfortable with the MMA scene, Cui gathered a team of investors
and launched One FC.

While Cui was focused on the promotional end, other developments
were changing the landscape of Asian MMA. Mixed martial arts gyms
were popping up in new countries like the Philippines and
Indonesia. Thai fighters were beginning to integrate groundwork
into their traditional kickboxing training. In Singapore, Harvard
MBA Chatri Sityodtong founded the Evolve Gym, which grew into one
of the most respected gyms in the world by bringing in some of the
brightest minds in MMA to collaborate and train together. Many of
the top Japanese fighters began training extensively in Singapore,
with North American and Brazilian fighters flying in, as well.

With gyms and promotions opening up all over Asia, the newly formed
One FC decided to approach them with a cooperative stance rather
than a competitive one. The One FC Network was announced, with a
host of gyms and promotions announcing their intentions to work
together. The One FC Network was an important part of One Fighting
Championship’s business plan. Promotions would share fighters,
allowing them to move up into tougher competition or down into
weaker competition as needed. Fighters would have a wider array of
options for fighting and training, while sponsors would have
greater visibility for their advertisements. Gyms could join
together for discounted bulk buys from equipment providers. One FC
and the other members of the network share schedules, allowing them
to stagger events to avoid undesirable conflicts.

Matt
Hume, a longtime MMA trainer and executive, serves as Vice
President of Operations and Competition for One FC. He views the
One FC Network as a boon for fighters and promotions alike.

“Connecting gyms together gives you a much bigger base than you’d
have by yourself,” Hume told Sherdog.com. “Fighters can develop
into the One FC level, and if they’re not quite ready, we can take
them back down and work them through the network. Guys can be
brought into the right gyms to get the right training in the
aspects of MMA they need to work on the most. It’s not a situation
where we have to find guys and if they don’t make it, we cut them.
The network is great for developing those guys and forming bonds
with other promotions to grow together.”

While the spirit of cooperation does offer opportunities, it is not
a path without its risks. The concept bears a striking similarity
to the ill-fated plans of Pro Elite, which banded together
promotions like King of
the Cage, Icon Sport, Cage Rage and Spirit MC to support Pro
Elite’s centerpiece — EliteXC. The
unwieldy and decentralized conglomeration collapsed, losing
millions of dollars in the process.

One FC is not on the hook for the losses of its partners, providing
a key distinction from Pro Elite. However, MMA gyms over the years
have often proven to be natural rivals, with fighters and coaches
not fully trusting their counterparts at other locations. MMA
promotions have battled even more fiercely for territory and
talent. There are questions about the long-term viability of the
model.

With any fledgling MMA organization, the biggest question always
centers on where the revenue will come from. For One Fighting
Championship, a significant part of that equation will be
television rights fees supplied by a number of TV partners. One FC
has an agreement with Cui’s former employer, ESPN Star Sports, and
One FC executives emphasize their ability to provide a high-quality
television program.

ESPN Star Sports has a broad reach in Asia, reaching 500 million
potential viewers in 28 countries. However, it has its limitations.
One FC televises on ESPN Star Sports in English, a second language
at best for most of the region. Those who speak multiple languages
are more likely to be affluent and thus able to spend more on
tickets for live events and merchandise, but it is a limiting
factor in the company’s growth.

With that in mind, One FC is attempting to line up local television
deals that can serve regional communities in Malay, Mandarin,
Cantonese or other local dialects. The other benefit of local
television deals is that they allow the promotion to focus on local
fighters and create national heroes. Cui emphasizes that the
creation of those stars is central to One FC’s future success.

“That’s been the key in what Asian sports has been lacking,” Cui
said. “You can bring in a foreign star like Maria Sharapova, but
for the majority of sports fans, they want to see local heroes they
can relate to. One FC has worked hard to bring up Asian heroes for
the ticket buyers on the ground. Country rivalries like Malaysia
vs. Singapore, Indonesia vs. Malaysia or China vs. Japan are huge.
Fans like to see their fighter triumph over their rivals.”

The basic model of competitors fighting for national pride is
similar to what has driven Japanese combat sports for decades.
Opening up that model to a number of different nations
simultaneously provides greater options for growth and also offers
contingency plans in case superstars from one country dry up as
they did in Japan. It is a model that suits Asia much better than
North America, where national sports rivalries do not play as
well.

While there is a great upside to those national rivalries, they
also necessitate very careful matchmaking. It is difficult to
promote and protect stars from different areas when the level of
competition is often much different depending on location. Every
region needs to be individually managed and finessed, not an easy
task when dealing with dramatic geographic, economic and linguistic
differences.

To cater to local audiences and supplement the ESPN deal, One FC
already has deals on local stations in Singapore and Indonesia. The
company plans to eventually have simultaneous live broadcasts of
its biggest events in multiple languages. The ability to do so will
significantly affect the company’s penetration in Asia’s many
diverse and unique regions.

One FC’s geographic reach will perhaps best be reflected by where
the company ends up running shows. Cui has been vocal about running
throughout the continent of Asia, hitting major markets in Japan,
China, India, South Korea and beyond. However, to this point, major
shows have run exclusively in Southeast Asia: Singapore, Malaysia,
Indonesia and The Philippines. Breaking into different regions will
offer a variety of logistical challenges, and One FC has been
careful not to overextend itself too soon.

The geographic range of MMA promotions can dramatically change over
time. When Zuffa purchased the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, two of the company’s regular
stops were Atlantic City, N.J., and the Mohegan Sun Arena in
Uncasville, Conn. Now a UFC show at one of those venues is an
extreme rarity. It remains to be seen whether One FC will stick in
a familiar range of locations or whether it will follow the UFC’s
expansion model. One FC plans to run 12 events in 2013 and 24
events in 2014, leaving plenty of opportunities to test different
markets.

MMA was the fastest
growing sport in the world.
It was exploding everywhere
else but non-existent in Asia.
That didn’t make sense because
Asians love martial arts.

One
FC 7 “Return of Warriors” reflects the overall approach of the
promotion. The event is headlined by a bout between two top
Filipino fighters, Eric Kelly
and Honorio
Banario, battling for national bragging rights and the One FC
featherweight title. A mini-tournament on the undercard will look
to crown a Malaysian national featherweight champion. Fighters from
Indonesia, Japan and Vietnam are complemented by fighters from
outside the continent. It has a distinctly Asian flavor.

Going forward, it is unlikely anytime soon that North American MMA
fans will direct their eyes towards Asia like they did during the
glory days of Pride. The UFC is so dominant and has such a lock on
the world’s top fighters that any foreign organization will
struggle to gain attention. However, for those who have followed
the evolution of martial arts and want a thriving and dynamic
international scene, One FC offers hope that one of sport’s
greatest centers will rise once again.

One FC and its Quest to Conquer Asia