Qatar Duty Free offers personalised bottles for purchases of Dior's La Collection Privée

• Passengers at Hamad International Airport, Doha can explore Dior’s gardens in the French Riviera
• Qatar Duty Free and Dior to gift scented roses to travellers in celebration of Dior’s new La Colle Noire scent 

The Dior Les Parfums installation is inspired by the Provence rose.

The beauty of the south of France has been recreated in Doha by Qatar Duty Free and Dior with the unveiling of a wall of pink roses at Hamad International Airport (HIA). The 180 sq m Dior Les Parfums installation, inspired by the rose de mai (Provence rose) – the signature bouquet of Dior’s new fragrance La Colle Noire – will greet visitors with a full sensory experience from July until September 2016.

Visitors to Qatar Duty Free can enjoy a perfumed flower garden modelled after Dior’s flower garden in the Château de La Colle Noire, France, while listening to live violin music. Visits to the Dior garden will be completed with a scented rose gift that embodies the beauty and delicacy of the new fragrance.

Qatar Duty Free is also gifting free perfume personalisation to all customers who purchase one of Dior’s exclusive La Collection Privée range from the stand, with the opportunity to have the perfume bottle engraved with a name or message.

Senior Vice President Qatar Duty Free Luis Gasset said: “Shopping at Qatar Duty Free is truly an extraordinary experience for our customers. Our range of luxury brands and exclusive offers are complemented by excellent customer service and incredible experiences that make a visit to Qatar Duty Free in HIA an unforgettable part of the journey.

“This exclusive Dior promotion, the latest brand collaboration for Qatar Duty Free, is part of our ongoing strategy to customise and tailor our offers for our customers who have the opportunity to choose from one of the biggest collections of beauty brands, fragrances and cosmetics, in any airport in the world.”


Commercial Director Travel Retail at Dior, Frank Dagher Hayeck said: “After the great success of the first edition held in 2015 at HIA, we are glad to present our brand new Dior Les Parfums Pop Up 2016 in collaboration with Qatar Duty Free. This year, we will go even further with this partnership, proposing to all the travellers passing through HIA from July to September a unique customer experience while exploring our exclusive podium and all of its numerous treasures: its hundreds of Grasse roses rising up to five metres high, La Colle Noire, (the) famous Christian Dior house, a true quete d’essence with Francois Demachy (Editor's note: Perfumer-Creator, Dior) and many more while getting unique Dior personalised gifts for themselves or their loved ones.”

Qatar Duty Free operates the retail experience at Hamad International Airport (HIA) in addition to an outlet at Doha Port. It is the second-largest duty free operator in the Middle East. At HIA Qatar Duty Free offers 40,000 sq m of combined retail, food and beverage facilities, establishing the retailer as a premier shopping and dining destination.

Bank Muscat's Terhal offers travel financing

Coinciding with the summer (Q2 to Q3) holidays and the upcoming Eid al Fitr, and in line with the bank’s vision Let’s do more, Bank Muscat, has launched Terhal, a suite of travel services with banking features and facilities. Oman’s first-of-its-kind product is in alignment with strategies aimed at providing a distinct banking experience aimed at customers interested in tourism and travel, the bank said.

Under Terhal, customers will be able to obtain finance of up to RO10,000, at a 3.5% interest rate, repayable over 12 months. Terhal customers will receive a Bank Muscat Oman Air credit card plus a superior travel insurance package. The insurance package will cover a lost passport, flight postponement or cancellation, emergency medical expenses and services, plus personal incidents and lost luggage. Customers are also eligible to earn Oman Air’s free Sindbad miles.

Abdullah Tamman Al Maashani, Deputy General Manager – Institutional Sales & Products Development at Bank Muscat said: “We aim to provide the best banking services and products to all customers while assisting them to draw up ideal financial plans.

"Terhal is designed to help its customers prepare themselves financially and avail special offers during their holidays. Bank Muscat continues adding value to its services and products, in line with a firm commitment to all its customers.”

Interested?

Read the Suroor Asia blog posts about Bank Muscat's Tadhamun initiative and about Oman's Eid al Fitr holiday dates

Dove empowers women to challenge traditional limits around beauty and achievement

Real women are refusing to allow other people’s judgments of their beauty to hold them back from achieving their full potential. Their empowering stories are featured in a new film from Dove - #MyBeautyMySay, created to inspire all women to rise above any of the traditional stereotypes and limits society may place on them.

The landscape that informs this film was revealed in a new study from Dove - Dove: The Global Beauty Confidence Report. It paints a picture of a world where women want to be free to look any way that makes them feel confident, but are aware of the many limits put upon them by other people’s judgments about their appearance. Seven in 10 women believe they get more compliments about how they look than on their professional achievements at work, for instance.

Dove points out that commentary and judgment focused on how women look can limit women and place pressure on them to conform to a narrow standard of beauty, and said that seven out of 10 women want to live in a world where women and girls are judged by what they do and say, not on their looks alone.

“Somewhere along the way, it has become the norm to judge women based on their appearance. Dove created #MyBeautyMySay because we believe a woman’s beauty should not be used to belittle her achievements – instead, her beauty should be celebrated on her terms,” said Jennifer Bremner, Director of Marketing, Dove. “We want women to challenge this behavior that has unfortunately become commonplace in our society. We are giving all women a platform to speak out and join us to change the conversation.”

Eight in 10 women believe every woman has something about her that is beautiful, yet many continue to feel limited by society’s judgments of their looks. In fact, one in two women with low body confidence admit they don’t feel self-assured enough to be assertive in their own life. The women featured in the #MyBeautyMySay film tell a different story. Dove selected all of the women featured in the #MyBeautyMySay film because they live the message that by embracing your own beauty, you can free yourself from the limits others place on you:

Heather Hardy, 34 – Since taking up kick-boxing as a hobby to get in shape, Hardy has been told she is too “pretty to fight.” She is now a star in the ring, fighting professionally and working to raise the profile of oft-neglected female boxers.

Jessica Torres, 25 – Even from a young age, Jessica was constantly told she could not wear stylish clothing because of her size. She rejected this criticism when she started her fashion blog, Tiny Red Shoes, as a way of telling the world she isn’t embarrassed, but proud, of the way she looks.

Rain Dove, 26 – Rain faced unfair ridicule for years as others claimed her looks were too masculine. Now she earns her living from the androgynous appearance she has made her own, working as a gender-free model in New York, US.

“As a child I was called ‘ugly’ and ‘plain’ because of my appearance, but the way I look has allowed me to set myself apart and lead a flourishing career as a gender-free model,” said Rain Dove. “I am lucky that I have been given a chance to speak out about the limits that have been placed upon me. By working with Dove, I hope to inspire others to relinquish the standards and rules society attempts to place on women.”

Interested?

View the #MyBeautyMySay film. Dove is inviting women to share their own stories of overcoming beauty limits with #MyBeautyMySay

Dove also believes in the importance of starting the conversation early in life around beauty confidence. To date, the Dove Self-Esteem Project has reached the lives of over 19 million girls with self-esteem building tools. Download the tools for the Dove Self-Esteem Project

Hashtags: #RealBeauty, #MyBeautyMySay

Mannish, plain and ugly were just some of the things Rain was called as a 10-year-old girl who soared at a height of 6ft 2in. She was always misunderstood, from being confused as a man when she volunteered as a firefighter in her teens, to being cast with other men when she applied to be a runway model as she grew older. But it was at that moment on the runway when she decided to take the opportunity and challenge the industry’s perceptions of what it means to be a woman. How do you define beauty on your own terms? #RealBeauty #MyBeautyMySay

A photo posted by Dove (@dove) on Jul 22, 2016 at 11:58am PDT

UOB profiles the modern Singapore woman and tailors card privileges accordingly

United Overseas Bank has released Singapore’s first profiles for the contemporary Singapore woman based on their behaviour and spending patterns. The UOB Leading Ladies report* classes the women as digital natives, young professionals and cosmopolitan leaders.

Jacquelyn Tan, Managing Director and Regional Head of Cards and Payments, UOB, said that the report elaborates on the enterprising nature and consumption patterns of Singapore women today. “The average Singapore woman is highly educated and juggles work and family at the same time. From the baby-boomer senior executive in a multinational corporation to the Generation Z Internet entrepreneur, women in Singapore contribute more than 40% to Singapore’s GDP. Their energy and passion help feed their ambition. As the saying goes, ‘Women hold up half the sky’ and for Singapore women, I would add that the sky’s the limit," she said.

“UOB was the first bank to recognise the increasing earning power of women and issued Singapore ’s first card for women only – The UOB Lady’s Card - in 1989. Women are now spending 17% faster than men do on UOB cards**. By 2020, we believe that the amount women spend will contribute close to half of the bank’s total credit card billings.”

The bank believes in understanding what women want and helping them meet their priorities through life’s many stages, from their tertiary years, as they build their careers and through to retirement. Recent data shows that women in Singapore*** are generally spending more on their credit cards as their incomes increase and priorities change through different life stages. There has been a clear upward trend in credit card spend over the last couple of years by women aged 20 to 49 years old, with the biggest increase seen in younger age groups (20 to 29 years old and 30 to 39 years old) . Women in the 40 to 49 year old bracket charge the most to their credit cards.

The Bank has identified three archetypes for today’s Singapore woman:

Rachel, the digital native, is 18 to 25 years old. She spends S$400**** a month. Shopping, beauty and eating make up 55% of her total monthly spend Born in the age of the Internet, Rachel is technologically-savvy and typically an early adopter of new digital platforms and solutions, such as paying with her smartphone. Social media is integral for her to stay connected with friends and is a medium for self-expression.

Rachel is probably pursuing a tertiary education or is a fresh graduate who has just entered the workforce. As a consumer, she is as comfortable in brick-and-mortar stores as she is online, shopping at least twice a month at e-retailers. Rachel values off-the-beaten track travel and dining experiences. When travelling, she seeks to live as the locals do. She prefers short-term rental stays such as Airbnb to hotels.

Michelle, the young professional, 26 to 35 years old, spends S$1,000**** a month where shopping, beauty and dining make up 52% of her total monthly spend. Michelle is well-educated and career-focused. Having worked for a few years, she is likely to be financially independent and interested in long-term investments to build her retirement nest egg.

Michelle is often strapped for personal time and values spending her weekends with family and friends. When travelling, she is likely to indulge in the finer things in life, such as dining experiences and luxe fashion brands.

Christina, the cosmopolitan leader, is above 36 years old. She spends S$2,000**** per month of which shopping, medical services, beauty and fitness make up 64% of her total monthly spend. Established in her profession, Christina is a citizen of the world. Travelling often for work, she can find herself in two different cities in a week. As such, maintaining her health and fitness is of the utmost importance. When travelling for leisure, she prefers customised holiday experiences over typical agency tours. Financially-savvy and independent , Christina also maintains an investment portfolio.

To cater to the contemporary women of Singapore, UOB has enhanced and redesigned its suite of Lady’s Cards. The refreshed card face, by acclaimed designer Vivienne Tam, is the latest generation of UOB Lady’s cards and Singapore’s first and only designer credit card. It features a new, modern rose motif.

The card suite enhancement also includes a new UOB Lady’s debit card for digital natives. To complement their high energy and love of life, the range of benefits includes one-for-one dining offers.

For young professionals, the UOB Lady’s Card benefits are a step up from the UOB Lady’s debit card. Understanding that this segment has more financial responsibilities , the UOB Lady’s Card features the LuxePay Plan, a six or 12-month installment payment plan for luxury goods that does not charge interest or processing fees so that women can manage their expenses more easily, with a fixed monthly amount to pay for big-ticket purchases. Additional lifestyle benefits include free tickets to the Singapore Repertory Theatre and complimentary weekend parking at selected Orchard Road malls such as Paragon and 313@somerset.

For cosmopolitan leaders, UOB unlocks a world of travel privileges to suit their frequent-flyer lifestyles with the UOB Lady’s Solitaire card. Cardmembers can enjoy exclusive access to MasterCard’s World Concierge and Priceless travel experiences, Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts DISCOVERY BLACK Membership and JetQuay’s Quayside services. For its top women spenders, UOB is also offering Asia’s first rose-gold metal cards to 1,000 UOB Lady’s Cardmembers who spend at least S$45,000 over three consecutive months. In addition to all existing Solitaire benefits, it also offers complimentary limousine airport transfers, airport lounge access and e-commerce protection. The metal card is moulded from Duralumin, a lightweight metal material used to build aircraft, and comes with a brushed rose-gold finish.

As e-commerce is a category where women are spending more, the bank is making it more convenient for them to shop online. All new UOB Lady’s cardmembers will enjoy instant signup for the UOB MasterP ass digital wallet, which makes online payment much easier.

Deborah Heng, Group Head and GM, MasterCard Singapore said, “Women in Singapore are becoming more affluent, with good education, better access to jobs and successful development in their careers. According to the MasterCard Index of Women’s Advancement 2016, women leadership in Singapore ranked the highest amongst Asia’s developed markets and Singapore has shown the most marked advancement in women’s leadership since 2010, in the Southeast Asia region. In recognition of the many roles that women play as drivers of economic growth, it is timely to offer an elevated card platform for women, extending the benefits that the UOB Lady’s Card programme provides.”

“We are excited to partner with UOB on the launch of the first MasterCard World Elite metal card in Singapore. The MasterCard World Elite programme, developed for the discerning cardholder, provides access to luxurious, preferential and personalised experiences, such as a personal travel advisor and private cruise and jet programmes. Cardholders will also enjoy the added convenience of a dedicated concierge service that offers 24x7 seamless support for whatever they may need, from locating a hidden celebrity hangout to arranging a private family tour of a world-famous toy store.”

*The UOB Leading Ladies report presents insights gleaned from UOB card data, proprietary research and industry data.

**Year-on-year comparison, 2014 compared with 2015. 

***RFi Group - Singapore Priority & Retail Banking Council. 

****Source: UOB card data .

Singapore Workforce Development Agency, SCALA offer logistics reskilling initiative

The Logistics Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) was launched today by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and Supply Chain and Logistics Academy (SCALA) to reskill professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) who are keen to join the industry.

The Logistics PCP presents opportunities for both new entrants and existing logistics professionals to widen and deepen their skills for career growth in the industry. It offers 150 vacancies for PMETs for job roles as Logistics Officers and Logistics Executives over the next two years. The PCP will commence in July and is a key component of the Adapt and Grow initiative.

With better integrated systems and improved technology, the nature of jobs in the logistics industry has evolved and more high-tech skills are required as PMETs will need to manage multiple tracking systems that can be located regionally or even globally. With the launch of the Logistics PCP these PMETs will be equipped with skillsets in supply chain operations management, preparing them for new roles in areas such as freight forwarding, fleet operations management, supply chain operations, warehouse and storage supply chain. SCALA is the appointed programme partner for the Logistics PCP.

Chief Executive of WDA Ng Cher Pong said, “The logistics industry is constantly innovating to become more efficient and responsive to industry needs. As the industry evolves, new processes will be developed, and correspondingly, job roles will become more sophisticated and challenging. WDA will work with SCALA to ensure that relevant programmes are developed in tandem with industry growth and expectations. Reskilling is key to ensure that PMETs who are keen to join the industry are equipped to take on these new job roles.”

The PCP will comprise facilitated classroom sessions, customised structured on-the-job-training (OJT) and a mentorship programme.

For the OJT, SCALA will provide practical hands-on training complemented by a real-time operation environment where decisions and solutions are implemented based on real-life workplace issues. For the mentorship, SCALA will roll out the Train-the-Mentor programme which will equip experienced employees within the company with mentoring skills and knowledge to effectively coach the PCP trainees.

The SCALA Board of Advisors, appointed today, are industry practitioners who will provide leadership guidance and support on the development of training programmes and activities for the logistics and supply chain professionals.

“SCALA will play a key role in developing and empowering talents within Singapore's rapidly developing supply chain and logistics industries, ultimately enhancing the country’s position as a leading global supply chain hub. It will create a platform for the mastery of key skills through a practitioner based training methodology, offer practical and forward looking learning and skills acquisition opportunities, and provide the opportunity for those who enter the industry to excel in their career and personal development. YCH has committed to support SCALA by providing mentors in an advanced training environment, as well as hire 20% of trainees," said Dr Robert Yap, Founding Chairman of the Board for SCALA, and Chairman, YCH Group.

Ten companies have already come on board the programme and these companies will offer over 60 of the 150 vacancies for PMETs.

posted from Bloggeroid

Credit Suisse Hong Kong customers get new digital private banking app

Source: Credit Suisse e-brochure.

Credit Suisse has launched its digital private banking platform in Hong Kong with the release of an enhanced Private Banking Asia Pacific app.

The digital platform creates a new multichannel service delivery model combining a digital and direct client experience. Credit Suisse’s initial digital private banking platform was first rolled out in Singapore in March 2015. More than12 months of client usage analysis and usability testing has culminated in an enhanced version of the app the bank has launched in Hong Kong, with a new design and client user interface as well as additional language capabilities.

Source: Credit Suisse. Monnet.

Francois Monnet, Credit Suisse's Head of Private Banking Greater China, and Lead for the development of the digital private banking project said, “We are delighted to launch an enhanced version of our Private Banking Asia Pacific app for our Hong Kong wealth management hub, building on the experience and learnings accumulated in the past year following the Singapore rollout. Hong Kong is one of the fastest growing hubs for our Private Banking business as well as a hotbed of consumer adoption of digital solutions across many products and services.

"Digital technology is rapidly changing the way people use financial services, they are increasingly using digital channels to contact their banks, execute trades and purchase financial products. As a leading global wealth manager, Credit Suisse is making significant investments in digital technology to capture this opportunity and deepen the relationship with our current and next generation of private banking clients and help drive the growth of our business across the region.

“Asia Pacific has some of the biggest and most rapidly expanding wealth pools in the world. A digitalised multichannel service delivery model will bring the relationship manager and bank significant gains in efficiency and higher value-added productivity, and most important of all, enable us to serve our clients better and cultivate deeper client relationships. In rolling out our digital private banking capabilities, we are redesigning the way in which we interact with and curate content for our clients. It is not just an enhancement to the client experience, but a transformation of our private banking service model.”

According to a 2014 survey*, 38% of high net worth individuals in Asia feel that digital contact with their wealth manager is more important that direct contact, while 83% of them said that they are far more likely to leave wealth management firms that cannot offer an integrated digital and direct channel experience.

Credit Suisse identified that the majority of its private banking clients in Asia Pacific are what it describes as “validators”, that is those who want to understand investment opportunities and trade-offs to validate with their advisors, who think in the mid- to long-term and appreciate support in understanding global markets and refining their views and ideas.

Monnet said, “We designed, developed and prioritised the features of our first product release based on what these clients expect from our bank and our digital offering. We fully engaged with our clients through more than 100 in-depth one-on-one Voice of the Client sessions held with across the region including in Greater China, and their feedback shaped the way we developed and constantly refined the digital private banking app. We also held many Voice of the Business sessions with more than 80 members from the relationship management teams, to get their views, expectations and feedback throughout the process of developing these capabilities.”

Credit Suisse’s new digital platform empowers clients with round-the-clock access to comprehensive information about their accounts, market insights and intelligence personalised according to their portfolios, tools to analyse their risk exposure across portfolios while equipping them with trading tools to respond to moving markets. The new digital private banking solution also facilitates multiple channels of connectivity and collaboration for clients with their relationship manager and Credit Suisse team.
 
Monnet added, “Our data and analytics over the past year from Singapore have indeed shown that we have delivered a digital solution that meets many of our clients’ aspirations in terms of functionality and usability. As a result, the number of clients using the digital channel has increased almost thirty times. They are logging in more often - at all times of the day and night and on average are spending more time on each visit. They are using the platform to access and understand investment opportunities and ideas, and are empowered to act on market opportunities through the trading tool anytime at their convenience. We are confident that the new digital platform will bring significant benefits and efficiencies to all our regional clients whose assets are managed in our Hong Kong hub.”

Interested?

The app is available to regional clients with accounts in Hong Kong and supports English and new Chinese language capabilities. It is accessible across multiple devices including iPad, iPhone, and Web browsers. Android users can access the platform via Web browsers.

Read the TechTrade Asia blog post about Credit Suisse's path to digital transformation

*Capgemini RBC Wealth Management Asia Pacific Wealth Report 2014  

Oman to open ferry route to Iran

The Oman News Agency (ONA) has reported that the National Ferries Company (NFC) will officially kick off a new ferry route between Khasab in Oman to Bandar Abbas and Qeshm in Iran on 28 July, coinciding with the Sultanate's celebrations of Renaissance Day.

Mehdi bin Mohammed al-Abdawani, CEO of NFC told ONA that the journey will start from the Port of Khasab in the Governorate of Musandam in Oman to Bahonar Port in Bandar Abbas via the Port of Bahman in the island of Qeshm in Iran. The trial will run twice a week for six months.

The CEO added that travel to the Qeshm does not require a visit visa while visiting the city of Bandar Abbas will require a visa from the Iranian Embassy in the Sultanate. He said that talks are underway with Iran's Hormozgan province to discuss the possibility of issuing visas on arrival for Omani visitors to Bandar Abbas Port.

The journey from Khasab to Qeshm takes 90 minutes while that to Bandar Abbas takes two hours. He explained that only passengers and goods - no vehicles - will be taken on board of ferries until the completion of the construction of a bridge for vehicle shipment in some Iranian ports.

The move builds on a January 2016 memorandum of understanding signed between the NFC and Qeshm Free Zone Authority in Iran. A pilot voyage from Sultan Qaboos Port to Chabahar Port in Iran on board the ferry Hormuz was completed thereafter.

Interested?

Those who wish to travel via ferry to Iran must obtain a visa and contact the communications and booking centre at NFC for tickets.

Qatar Summer Festival starts this August

Source: QSF website.

The Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) is preparing for the Qatar Summer Festival (QSF), the Qatar News Agency (QNA) has reported.

Themed Colour Your Summer, QSF offers a variety of colourful experiences under the entertainment, dining, culture, shopping, sightseeing and outdoor categories, including concerts, comedy events and sports events involving celebrities from across the region. The third edition of the QSF will also feature a range of attractions such as special hotel rates, cultural events, shopping promotions and weekly raffles with prizes worth up to QR2 million. The month-long celebration will start on August 1 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Hotels will be offering special packages such as ‘pay for two nights and stay for three’ in hotels, and ‘pay for five nights and stay for six’ in hotel apartments. Participating hotels include the City Centre Rotana Doha, Four Seasons Hotel Doha and the Intercontinental Doha - The City. Select establishments will provide additional promotions including free breakfasts, late checkouts, free meals for children when accompanied by their parents (a maximum of three children per family) and free transfers to and from Hamad International Airport. These offers are also available to residents booking during the same period.

QSF’s Entertainment City at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC) is also set to return, and will feature a range of new gaming and entertainment options.

Interested?

Browse QSF activities

View the list of participating hotels for QSF. Use the code QSF2016 to book 

Euromonitor: tech playing larger role in toys and games growth

The global toys and games market is poised for growth as favourable demographics in emerging markets, along with a tent pole* movie release schedule, are expected to support a 4.5% CAGR through 2020.

Global market research company Euromonitor International has found that global sales of toys and games reached US$179.7 billion in 2015 with in-game purchases and construction toys accounting for 30% of sales across the industry.

In-game purchases were the biggest driver of revenue growth for video games, increasing 21% in 2015 to reach US$44.6 billion. Mobile games reliant on purchases and the proliferation of smartphones was the main driver, but in-game purchases are becoming common in console and computer games.

Construction toys remained the fastest growing category globally for the eighth consecutive year, and the only segment to see double-digit growth at 14.2% within traditional toys in 2015.

“The release of Star Wars last year was the most significant growth driver within traditional toys with licensed LEGO construction toys recording a 16% increase,” Mykola Golovko, Project Manager at Euromonitor International, says.

Licensed toys totalled US$20.6 billion last year, translating to a 10% increase globally. While toys will see continued influence from licensing, new technologies will lead forecast growth for video games.

Virtual reality (VR) gaming had a limited impact in 2015 with only 2 million headsets sold. However, new products are expected to bring the technology to a wider audience in the period 2016 to 2020.

“With the release of Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR in 2016, the market is primed to see strong growth in the near future with annual sales reaching 25 million units by 2020,” Matthew Hudak, toys and games Industry Analyst at Euromonitor International, says.

*Tent pole movies contribute heavily to their creators' revenues and often come with merchandise tie-ins.

Netccentric's AroiMakMak.com partners with Flexiroam

Netccentric, an Asia Pacific digital media, marketing and technology business, has partnered with telecommunications company Flexiroam. The partnership will see Netccentric’s subsidiary – AroiMakMak.com – collaborating with Flexiroam to drive traffic and membership registrations on the travel website, as well as increase awareness and distribute Flexiroam’s data roaming solution, Flexiroam X.

Netccentric operates six businesses in the digital advertising sector across multiple geographies including Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Philippines, China and the UK.

AroiMakMak began in 2012 as a travel guide on Bangkok. Over the years, it has grown into a reputable resource widely read by people in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. In 2015, the website
received 1.2 million visitors and currently averages over 500,000 monthly views amongst travellers with a high propensity to spend when abroad. This year, AroiMakMak also expanded its content to include Korea and Japan.

Flexiroam enables travellers to bypass roaming charges around the world. Its flagship data roaming product, Flexiroam X, allows users to earn up to 100GB of data to be used in 100 countries with plans which last up to a year.

The Flexiroam X adhesive SIM microchip and smartphone application provides users with access to Flexiroam’s global data roaming networks in 100 countries. Through the collaboration, people who register as a member with AroiMakMak will automatically receive 1GB of complimentary Flexiroam X data roaming. In total, the travel website will be giving out 25,000GB of Flexiroam X free data roaming promotional codes to travellers via its website and social media channels. This marks the first of many promotions to be rolled out as part of the partnership.

Cheo Ming Shen, CEO of Netccentric, said, "The similarities between AroiMakMak and Flexiroam’s target audience present an ideal opportunity for both parties to synergise our efforts and increase our market competitiveness. By combining our travel expertise and Flexiroam’s free roaming data, we will be able to give inbound travellers the best travel experience possible. This will further cement our position as the best one-stop travel guide for Bangkok, Seoul and Tokyo, and in turn, drive traffic and membership signups for AroiMakMak.”

“We foresee a tremendous amount of synergy with AroiMakMak.com’s core audience, who will be hungry for Flexiroam X’s capability to deliver affordable roaming data to stay connected online to document their travels on social media,” says Flexiroam CEO Jef Ong.

Thailand represents a significant market opportunity for Flexiroam as it is one of Asia’s leading tourist hubs. The Thailand tourism market saw 29,881,091 inbound tourists in 2015. Through the partnership, Flexiroam will be leveraging on AroiMakMak’s popularity to establish a strong presence in Asia and increase the number of X subscribers across the region. This in turn will lower the cost of customer acquisition and increase brand awareness.

AroiMakMak Flexiroam

posted from Bloggeroid

Singapore in top five for 2016 WE Cities Index

· The Dell Women Entrepreneur Cities Index (WE Cities) is the only global gender-specific index that looks at a city’s ability to attract and foster growth of women-owned firms

· Singapore is one of the top five cities for high-potential women entrepreneurs

· Data and analysis says that when impediments to female entrepreneurship are removed, there is a dramatic uplift in a city’s economic prospects

· Dell’s index provides a diagnostic tool to advise leaders and policy-makers on how to improve conditions to enable businesses founded by women to thrive

· Dell has partnered with 1776 to launch Union, an international startup platform

Source: Dell infographic. The Dell Women Entrepreneur Cities Index breakdown.

Dell has revealed the top 25 global cities fostering high potential women entrepreneurs (HPWE) for 2016. The Women Entrepreneur Cities Index (WE Cities) is the only global gender-specific index that looks at a city’s ability to attract and foster growth in firms founded by women entrepreneurs. Cities, instead of countries, were identified in order to show the impact of local policies and programmes in addition to national laws and customs.

Findings from WE Cities will be used as a springboard for conversation and change at the seventh annual Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network Summit (DWEN) —a global gathering of 200 of the top female entrepreneurs, business leaders, media and Dell partners that is set to take place in South Africa, June 27 to 28, 2016.

“Innovation and job creation by women entrepreneurs is critical for a thriving global economy, yet our research shows some cities and countries are doing far more than others to encourage and support this important subset of the startup community,” said Karen Quintos, SVP and CMO at Dell. “Our index provides insights to move the conversation with policymakers and city leaders from awareness to action and, in turn, to empower women entrepreneurs to have the greatest economic impact on the world.”

Ranked 5th on the index, Singapore performs in the top third of the 25 cities ranked for talent, culture and technology. Sydney is also in the top 10.

“Singapore has established a robust ecosystem to support women entrepreneurs with a strong focus on cultivating home-grown entrepreneurship and promoting digitization across all verticals. As the only Asian city in the top 10 of the WE Cities Index and having emerged as the third most Future Ready Economy in a study conducted earlier this year, Singapore is well positioned on a global landscape for women-owned businesses to thrive and is an exceptional example to Asia of the great contribution women bring to the economic growth of a nation,” said Margaret Franco, VP, APJ CSES Marketing, Dell.

"Women entrepreneurs are our country's best bet for economic growth,” said Elizabeth Gore, Entrepreneur-in-residence for Dell. “It's time for women to be politically engaged to ensure the right ecosystems are in place for them to scale. If politicians and entrepreneurs partner, dynamic policies can be put in place to close the circle and enhance the process from idea to enterprise. WE Cities can be used as a diagnostic tool to help ensure lawmakers are listening to their needs.”

Top 25 WE Cities

Overall Ranking

1. NEW YORK

2. BAY AREA

3. LONDON

4. STOCKHOLM

5. SINGAPORE

6. TORONTO

7. WASHINGTON, DC

8. SYDNEY

9. PARIS

10. SEATTLE

11. MUNICH

12. AUSTIN

13. BEIJING

14. HONG KONG

15. TAIPEI

16. SHANGHAI

17. TOKYO

18. MEXICO CITY

19. SAO PAULO

20. SEOUL

21. MILAN

22. DELHI

23. JOHANNESBURG

24. JAKARTA

25. ISTANBUL

Dell partnered with IHS—a source of insight and analytics—to launch the global research that measures a city’s ability to attract and support high-potential women entrepreneurs. The 25 cities in the ranking were chosen from the list of 50 global cities in the Dell Future-Ready Economies (FRE) Model in order to make comparisons between the two indices, with geographic diversity utilised as key criteria in city selection.

Building on the past four years of Dell’s research on HPWE, five important categories of city characteristics were identified: capital, technology, talent, culture and markets. These pillars were organised into two groups – operating environment and enabling environment. The overall rating has 70 indicators, and, of these, 44 have a gender-based component. Individual indicators were weighted based on four criteria: relevance, quality of underlying data, uniqueness in the index and gender component.

Research for WE Cities began during the 2016 DWEN Future Ready Research Symposium chaired by Dr. David Ricketts from the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard. The research symposium brought together 40 global thought leaders, women entrepreneurs, academics and media to develop insights for the model. Takeaways from the conversations at the symposium included:

· Access to capital is still the No. 1 challenge that women entrepreneurs face, although the numbers are showing a slight improvement

· Creating robust ecosystems with incubators, accelerators and mentors makes a world of difference for entrepreneurs—it is all about the network

· Cultural norms and their policy implications put serious binds on female entrepreneurs

To help entrepreneurs in cities and economies that may not provide adequate resources for scaling businesses, Dell has partnered with 1776 to launch an international startup platform, Union, aimed at enabling the next billion entrepreneurs by supporting, connecting and removing barriers for entrepreneurs regardless of their location.

Accessible through the Startup Federation—a worldwide network of startup campuses and mega-hubs—or virtually for entrepreneurs in remote areas, Union will provide entrepreneurs anywhere in the world the ability to reach the people, resources and education they need to take their ideas from seed to scale. Designed by 1776’s team of engineers and aided by insights from incubators, accelerators, experts and hubs around the world, the platform enables entrepreneurs to:

· Find content and courses in business-building

· Tap elite mentors in their industries for advice

· Consult experts in skills like marketing, sales, engineering and human resources

· Connect with potential investors, customers and business partners

“Dell’s WE Cities research proves that millions of entrepreneurs are hampered by conditions in their local economies and policies,” said Donna Harris, co-founder and co-CEO of 1776. “Entrepreneurs should be free to live wherever they want and have access to the same incredible resources. Our Union platform brings that idea to reality.”

Interested?

Read the takeaways from the symposium (PDF)

View a detailed summary of the research findings and recommendations (PDF)

Hashtags: #WECities, #DWEN

posted from Bloggeroid

Platinum's new jewellery collection is inspired by water

Source: Platinum.

Platinum has unveiled a new collection designed around the fluidity of water. Associated with style and timelessness, the new range of Platinum jewellery, comprising delicate neckpieces and earrings, pays homage to all forms of water, from rivulet-inspired necklaces with diamonds or drop earrings with a satin finish and laser-cut designs.

Interested?

Platinum* jewellery is priced according to the size, weight of the metal, number and quality of diamonds used. It is available at leading authorised platinum retailers across India. 

*In order to assure consumers of the purity of platinum jewellery, Platinum Guild India has appointed Underwriters Laboratories to audit and monitor its quality assurance scheme. Under this scheme, all authentic platinum jewellery in India comes with a Quality Assurance Card and bears the purity hallmark of 'Pt 950' stamped inside the piece. This also serves as an assurance of a 'buy back' programme.

Walton promotes financial literacy with moderated Cashflow games

Source: Walton International Group. Two groups of Cashflow gamers in full swing, plus facilitators from Walton.

It was an absolute adrenalin rush to buy a startup and sell it for $100,000, all within the hour. I had a pilot's salary of $9,500, and the cash just kept rolling in. The other participants in the Cashflow game weren't doing so well, or so I thought. One kept hovering between complete insolvency and barely enough to survive. The other had a pittance for a salary, and never seemed to have enough for investments.

I did everything 'right'. Bet on the smaller investments in the beginning (because who can afford larger ones, anyway). Cleared up some of the outstanding liabilities (after a little advice from the banker). Got more to spend.. but also more to pay for. In the end, my passive income was just about $1,000 less than my costs, and it was actually someone else who ended up closer to leaving the rat race.

Lots of money. No passive income.

Singapore holds the distinction of being the first place where Cashflow was played, in 1996. Conceived by Robert Kiyosaki of Rich Dad, Poor Dad fame, the game teaches players about wealth and investing in a fun way. The boardgame simulates real life in offering salaries every so often, as well as opportunities for investments, random payouts on those investments, and recurring as well as one-off costs. Everyone starts off with a different set of assets and liabilities, but all have a chance of leaving the rat race and getting on the road to financial freedom through ensuring that there is enough passive income - money that arrives even without working, through rentals, stock dividends and the like - to cover existing expenses. 

Why leave the rat race? Remember, no one is able to work forever, even if they might want to. Financial freedom means the flexibility to retire. of going to work and getting paid for it only if you feel like it. If you choose not to work, or work for free, there would still be enough income from other sources to pay the bills. While this sounds too good to be true - anything could happen to increase expenses, and not every source of passive income will keep delivering income forever - this equation of 'passive income > expenses' is in essence the only way to be financially free, and also a goal that anyone can theoretically achieve if they make the right choices in life.

Source: Walton International Group.

There are many ways to arrive at passive income, all of which begin with having enough funds to actually invest in something. The four veterans who were playing a separate game on the other side of the room accelerated opportunities to gain passive income through collaboration in different ways, by banding together to crowdfund investments, sub-selling portions of those investments with each other, and flipping investments (selling at a profit) for example. 

The beginners were less savvy, but Walton International Group facilitators led discussions on whether to offer opportunities to others and pool investments with a commission when one player didn't have the money to invest alone. Collaboration led to more opportunities to invest that would not have been possible otherwise, and well worth considering.

After passive income is obtained, the key is to hold on to it. I nearly sold a bunch of apartments when a sales opportunity arrived, because it would have been much more money than the monthly rental; but as the game master pointed out, I might not get the same opportunity to enjoy the same passive income again. 

Each game usually runs for two to three hours, with each hour of gameplay equivalent to what might happen financially in 10 years of working life. If enough money is generated to target sources of passive income it is entirely possible to leave the rat race. Three of the four veteran players achieved it, for example, and I know it was within reach for me. 

People who play the Cashflow the Boardgame for the first time typically learn something about the way they view money. I learned that having lots of cash did not equate to leaving the rat race, and not to sell off sources of passive income if I could help it. I might not have such sources of passive income in real life, but I know now how financial freedom should work.

These insights might not have been so easy to come by without moderation by Walton. Paul Huang, Account Manager, Walton International Group, who acted as gamemaster for the session, noted that playing the Cashflow game helps players learn more about their own financial habits and perspectives. "Rather than make mistakes outside, why not make the mistakes here and save you thousands of dollars outside?" he said. "We help you see a blind side of you."

Huang also shared that games with four to five players are ideal learning environments as players can cooperate and be influenced by others, but also need to work towards their own goals.

Interested?

Walton is open to running moderated Cashflow the Boardgame sessions if groups are large enough. The company is a multinational, privately-owned real estate investment and development group concentrating on land in major North American growth corridors. The investments are considered low-risk and long-term. An introduction to the company is presented at the game sessions. Request an invitation from Faith Ong Yan Ying, VP, Walton by email: Yanying.ong at walton.com

posted from Bloggeroid

Residence Inn and Under Armour craft custom running routes for guests

Residence Inn by Marriott and Under Armour Connected Fitness have announced a new series of custom running routes that guests can access from each of Residence Inn’s more than 700 properties in nine countries. There are Residence Inns in Bahrain, Kuwait and KSA.

Each Residence Inn offers a curated a running route of at least 3km. The routes are available through Under Armour’s MapMyFitness app which can be downloaded on both iOS and Android devices.

“As the leader in extended stay lodging, Residence Inn is committed to offering business and leisure travelers conveniences that help them maximise their time and thrive while on the road,” said Diane Mayer, VP and Global Brand Manager, Residence Inn. “Our partnership with Under Armour complements our existing signature amenities and services including: free grocery delivery, and fully equipped in-suite kitchens. Wherever their travel brings them, guests of Residence Inn will be able to run, see, and explore everything from charming city routes to scenic landscapes.”

“Our mission is to empower athletes everywhere and through this partnership and our fitness tracking apps and websites, we can provide personalised workout recommendations to Residence Inn guests, encouraging them to stay active even while traveling,” said Warren Kay, Vice President, Advertising for Under Armour Connected Fitness.

Interested?

Download the app

Take a Jumeirah City Break

Source: Jumeirah website.

Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Jumeirah Creekside Hotel and Jumeirah Living World Trade Centre Residences City Breaks include complimentary Wild Wadi Waterpark and Zero Gravity Private Beach access along with other benefits.

Jumeirah Emirates Towers offers shopping at the Boulevard, dining and nightlife experiences and is located five minutes from the world’s largest shopping mall, Dubai Mall, on the route of the hotel’s complimentary shuttle service.

Book any room category for a minimum of three nights at Jumeirah city Hotels in Dubai with the Jumeirah City Break promotion and receive 20%* off the best available rates plus:

• Complimentary buffet breakfast
• Unlimited access to Wild Wadi Waterpark and a private beach
• Complimentary return shuttle service to the Dubai Mall and Wild Wadi Waterpark
• AED2,000 shopping discount voucher booklet for the Boulevard
• Twenty percent discount on food and beverages in selected restaurants
• Twenty percent discount on spa treatments at Talise Spa
• Complimentary Wi-Fi access

Interested?

Call +971 4 319 8555 to book

Viator top travel experiences include choices in Japan, China and Dubai

The team at Viator, a TripAdvisor company and the leading resource for tours and activities worldwide, is highlighting some of the most popular and some of the most interesting travel experiences available on the Viator Tours & Activities App. 

While the majority of the experiences are in the Americas or Europe, Viator’s iOS users liked the Tokyo Robot Cabaret, and Mount Fuji Bullet Train excursions from Tokyo. Android users' top 10 bookings on the app include Dubai's Burj Khalifa At the Top tickets.

For Viator VIP tours, Beijing's Forbidden City with a special viewing of the Treasure Gallery and the Great Wall Ruins at Badaling are popular.

Interested?

The free Viator Tours & Activities App for iOS and Android provides convenient, 24x7 access to the best things to do in any destination with secure booking. The app features over 40,000 travel experiences and attractions in more than 2,000 worldwide destinations and 1 million+ customer reviews and photos, exclusive insider videos, maps, tips and expert recommendations. The app also provides real-time booking and last-minute availability, enhanced checkout including photo-scan for credit cards and instant confirmations, e-vouchers and direct entry ticketing.

Design-conscious buyers pushing gift and premiums manufacturers to up their game

Source: SGS website. SGS 2015 was well attended. 

Exhibitors are also stepping up their game at this year’s Singapore Gifts Show (SGS), which returns this year from 29 June to 1 July in response to buyers becoming more design-conscious. The largest Singapore gifts and premium show is a trade event showcasing gifts, premiums, lifestyle products and services in the regional and international markets. Established in 2006, SGS’s annual showcase event includes a three-day exhibition and industry seminar.

Ooi Peng Ee, General Manager of TTG Events, the organiser, said that quality and innovative designs have helped clients differentiate their offerings, and reinforce their brand identities in a way that makes marketing merchandising work the way it was intended. “We want SGS to inspire the industry. A well-designed corporate gift balances creative thinking with practical needs and transcends their everyday functions. It can make the product and organisation unique and memorable by standing out from the crowd,” Ooi said.

Obsession with design

Design has gained tremendous importance since Singapore was named the UNESCO Creative City of Design back in 2015. This year’s SGS will be the first for Antalis Singapore, a distributor of paper, packaging solutions and visual communication products for professionals. A spokesperson from Antalis said there is a lot to consider when selecting packaging, from the shape of the package to the functionality of the package and also the materials used. 

Antalis has begun collaborating with end users, design and packaging agencies to become more involved in the entire process. The company also seeks to engage the design community and bring more exposure to their customers’ works through self-funded initiatives implemented across Asia such as the Antalis 10-20-30 project, The Paperweight Awards and Conqueror Design Contest.

Source: SGS. The Tredan USB
Traveller Plug.

Chia Eng Kiat, MD, Tredan Connections, has made functionality a key factor of his products. In 2014, he debut his patented USB Traveller Plug, which received an initial 20,000 orders from corporate buyers. Today Tredan Connections offers a water bottle with integrated pillbox as well as a display kit to aid doctors in diagnosing erectile dysfunction, designed and developed by Chia.

“When you design your own product, it holds a special DNA familiar to the designer and the company it belongs to. Even when others try to replicate (it), (it) may not hold the same meaning or value. The industry is amassed with similar products that end up becoming commodities – they have lost their value and price often turns into a key factor,” Chia shared.

Also at SGS 2016 will be Thailand’s contingent of 12 gifts design talents. Exhibitors from Thailand have participated for 10 years as they find SGS provides a networking platform for them to meet with customers who appreciate their creative talents. “Thailand’s leadership in creative gifts design stems from its industry ability to harness its creative talents across all segments of its society,” said Khun Jirabool, President of Thai Gifts and Premiums Association (TGP).

Source: SGS. SIP members.

SGS' continued support of Social Innovation Park (SIP), and its Pop and Talent Hub (PaTH) social
enterprise talent development platform helps to provide exposure to creative talents. Penny Low, founder of SIP, said, “Since our collaboration in 2010, 106 members have benefitted from their participation in SGS and we are pleased that our members are able to contribute in a meaningful way to the positive development of the industry.”

Interested?

SGS will be held at Suntec Singapore Halls 401 to 403 from 29 June to 1 July. Admission is free for business cardholders. This year’s show will feature 112 booths with exhibitors from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the US.

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about Tredan's USB Traveller Plug, and see what happened at SGS 2015

Dropbox introduces new productivity tools

Source: Dropbox website.

Dropbox is making it easier to create, share, and collaborate with new features:

The plus button enables the creation of new Microsoft Office files, photo uploads, or scans directly via the Dropbox app on the iPhone.

The Dropbox badge identifies who else is working on the same Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel files to avoid losing or duplicating work. Microsoft co-authoring allows users to collaborate on Microsoft Office files online in real time, eliminating back-and-forth emails. Collaborators can comment anywhere on an image or document.

Collect files in a single folder from anyone, without granting them access to its contents. Dropbox allows previews of Excel, Photoshop, and PowerPoint files—even without the apps.

Secure sharing controls who can view or edit a file or folder, and version history recovers edits made to files in the last 30 days.

Interested?

View the associated video

Mandarin Orchard Singapore receives TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

Mandarin Orchard Singapore has been awarded the 2016 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.
Now in its sixth year, the award celebrates hospitality businesses that have consistently received strong traveller ratings and reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year.

The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence accounts for the quality, quantity and recency of reviews submitted by travellers on TripAdvisor.com over a 12-month period. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on the site for at least 12 months.

“We are honoured to receive the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, and we are grateful that our efforts have been recognised by the very people we most want to impress,” said Danny Wong, Hotel Manager of Mandarin Orchard Singapore. “This achievement validates our ongoing commitment in providing an unrivalled Asian hospitality experience to our guests.”

This year marks the 45th anniversary of Mandarin Orchard Singapore. Since opening its doors in 1971, the hotel has consistently delivered the brand’s signature Asian grace, warmth and care to guests from all over the world.

"With the Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor honours hospitality businesses that have consistently received strong praise and ratings from travellers,” said Heather Leisman, Vice President of Industry Marketing, TripAdvisor. “This recognition helps travellers identify and book properties that regularly deliver great service. TripAdvisor is proud to play this integral role in helping travellers feel more confident in their booking decisions.”

posted from Bloggeroid

Singapore still popular as a regional hub, fourth-most expensive city globally

• Hong Kong is the most expensive city globally, with four other Asian cities in the global top 10 
• With a weaker RMB, all Chinese cities surveyed dropped in the rankings – Shanghai (7) and Beijing (10) 
• Singapore remains in fourth place, followed by Tokyo, which climbed from 11 to fifth 

Mercer Cost of Living Survey – Worldwide Rankings 2016 (The Mercer international basket, including rental accommodation costs)
Rank as of March		City	Country
2015	2016
2	1	HONG KONG	Hong Kong
1	2	LUANDA	Angola
3	3	ZURICH	Switzerland
4	4	SINGAPORE	Singapore
11	5	TOKYO	Japan
13	6	KINSHASA	Dem. Rep. of the Congo
6	7	SHANGHAI	China
5	8	GENEVA	Switzerland
10	9	NDJAMENA	Chad
7	10	BEIJING	China

Mercer’s 22nd annual Cost of Living Survey* finds that factors including currency fluctuations, cost inflation for goods and services, and instability of accommodation prices, contribute to the cost of expatriate packages for employees on international assignments.

“Despite technology advances and the rise of a globally-connected workforce, deploying expatriate employees remains an increasingly important aspect of a competitive multinational company’s business strategy,” said Ilya Bonic, Senior Partner and President of Mercer’s Talent business. “However, with volatile markets and stunted economic growth in many parts of the world, a keen eye on cost efficiency is essential, including a focus on expatriate remuneration packages. As organisations’ appetite to rapidly grow and scale globally continues, it is necessary to have accurate and transparent data to compensate fairly for all types of assignments, including short-term and local plus status.”

According to Mercer’s 2016 Cost of Living Survey, Hong Kong tops the list of most expensive cities for expatriates, pushing Luanda, Angola to second position. Zurich in Switzerland and Singapore remain in third and fourth positions, respectively, whereas Tokyo, Japan is fifth, up six places from last year. Other Asian cities appearing in the top 10 of Mercer’s costliest cities for expatriates are Shanghai (7) and Beijing (10).

Mercer's survey is one of the world’s most comprehensive, and is designed to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation strategies for their expatriate employees. New York City is used as the base city for all comparisons and currency movements are measured against the US dollar. The survey includes over 375 cities throughout the world; this year’s ranking includes 209 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods, and entertainment.

“Maximising return on investment with fewer resources and talent shortages worldwide makes growth initiatives more difficult for multinationals,” said Bonic. “Organisations must ensure they can facilitate the moves they need to drive business results by offering fair and competitive compensation packages.”

Bonic added that costs of goods and services shift with inflation and currency volatility making overseas assignment costs sometimes greater and sometimes smaller. Low levels of inflation have translated into fairly steady cost increases around the world.

Asia Pacific

This year, Hong Kong (1) emerged as the most expensive city for expatriates both in Asia and globally, as a consequence of Luanda’s drop in the ranking due to the weakening of its local currency. Singapore (4) remained steady, while Tokyo (5) climbed six places. Shanghai (7) and Beijing (10) follow. Shenzhen, China (12) is up two places, while Seoul, Korea (15) and Guangzhou, China (18) dropped seven and three spots, respectively.

Mario Ferraro, Global Mobility Leader for Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) at Mercer, said, “Many Asian cities remain amongst the world’s most expensive places to deploy expatriates. However, this has not hindered companies from relocating talent here, as the region continues to offer growth potential and the demand for top talent remains high. With the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) becoming official on January 1 this year, the region represents a US$2.6 trillion market and this continues to attract companies to Southeast Asia. Companies tend to choose Singapore as the regional hub for this huge collective market, because of its talent pool and established infrastructure.”

“The strengthening of the Japanese yen pushed Japanese cities up in the ranking,” said Nathalie Constantin-Métral, Principal at Mercer with responsibility for compiling the survey ranking. “However, Chinese cities fell in the ranking due to the weakening of the Chinese yuan against the US dollar.”

Mumbai (82) is India’s most expensive city, followed by New Delhi (130) and Chennai (158). Kolkata (194) and Bangalore (180) are the least expensive Indian cities ranked. Elsewhere in Asia, Bangkok, Thailand (74), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (151) and Hanoi, Vietnam (106) plummeted twenty-nine, thirty-eight, and twenty places, respectively. Baku, Azerbaijan (172) had the most drastic fall in the ranking, plummeting more than one hundred places. The city of Ashkhabad in Turkmenistan climbed sixty-one spots to rank 66 globally.

Australian cities have witnessed some of the most dramatic falls in the ranking this year as the local currency has depreciated against the US dollar. Brisbane (96) and Canberra (98) dropped thirty and thirty-three spots, respectively, while Sydney (42), Australia’s most expensive ranked city for expatriates, experienced a relatively moderate drop of eleven places. Melbourne fell twenty-four spots to rank 71.

The Middle East

For the Middle East, Dubai, UAE was ranked 21st, while Abu Dhabi, UAE (25), and Beirut, Lebanon (50) were also in the top 50. Jeddah, KSA (121) remains the least expensive city in the region despite rising thirty places. “Several cities in the Middle East experienced a jump in the ranking, as they are being pushed up by other locations’ decline, as well as the strong increase for expatriate rental accommodation costs, particularly in Abu Dhabi and Jeddah,” said Constantin-Métral.

Interested?

Mercer produces individual cost of living and rental accommodation cost reports for each city surveyed. Get more information on city rankings. 

Buy individual city reports

*The figures for Mercer’s cost of living and rental accommodation costs comparisons are derived from a survey conducted in March 2016. Exchange rates from that time and Mercer’s international basket of goods and services from its Cost of Living survey have been used as base measurements.