Asia’s First Hybrid Online to Offline Festival to Bring Sim Racers and Entertainers Rriley and Haneri to Scape

SINGAPORE, Aug 29, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The Legion of Racers, with support from the Singapore Tourism Board, will be organising the HyperDrive Cities (HDC) 2022 Festival from 23 to 25 September. To be held at Orchard Road, this will be Asia's first hybrid online to offline festival that combines live sim racing, entertainment, lifestyle and technology within an urban carnival setting.

The HDC will take place during this year's Grand Prix Season Singapore (GPSS) from 23 September to 2 October. GPSS is a collection of innovative race-themed lifestyle experiences that complements the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022 excitement beyond the track.

For three days, the HDC will be held at *SCAPE in Orchard Road and will include feature a regional sim racing championship that follows the inaugural E-Cities Championship held in November 2021, along with an electric go-karting experience and a community sim racing challenge with prizes for the fastest sim racers from the public.

The HDC Championships 2022 boasts a prize pool of SGD10,000 with the top winner guaranteed at least SGD3500.

In addition, the festival at Orchard Road will also feature the HDC Gameplay Stations, a motorsports-themed gameplay powered by Augmented Reality where participants complete the various Gamemaster challenges to earn NFTs and rare prizes.

To cap off the event, an entertainment element will be added to the post-sim race event with Singaporean artistes RRILEY and Haneri, who will both perform a set of three songs each. In addition, DJ NashD, who is the official DJ for local artistes Shigga Shay and hip hop collective Grizzle Grind Crew, will raise the decibels on 23 September from 8pm to 10pm.

"This is a unique event comprising multiple elements for the community," said Lim Keong Wee, co-founder of the Legion of Racers.

"We wanted to create a motorsport festival for everyone, ranging from electric karting for young families to youths and millennials who could watch an entertainment segment at the end of the day that features some of Singapore's hottest music talents."

Added RRILEY, who made her debut in 2012 as a founding member of the Sam Willows, "It is just so nice to be performing again and I am so excited to bring my music to a new audience."

The event is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, which oversees the Orchard Road precinct.

Ms Guo Teyi, Director, Retail and Dining, Singapore Tourism Board, said: "We welcome the inaugural HyperDrive Cities Festival to Singapore's famous shopping street. With its diverse mix of virtual and in-person experiences, the festival will add buzz to Orchard Road and strengthen its position as a lifestyle destination beyond retail. We invite visitors of all ages to join the festival and reimagine Orchard Road's offerings."

Among the partners confirmed for the festival include McLaren, TYCA, Next Level Racing, Logitech G, Monster Energy, and Tarmac Works. A McLaren 720S sportscar will also be on display at the venue during the course of the programme.

The simulated track which the sim racers will be racing on is the Orchard Road Street Circuit, which was produced by the Legion of Racers team. For 2022, the track has been extended to include the Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut sub-precincts.

The HDC 2022 Festival is set to bring more than 5,000 members of the public to *SCAPE while thousands more will follow the HyperDrive Cities Championships live on Youtube.

All photo and visual assets can be downloaded here.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1q7-el4f3XXS2zmflJQpjhFXqsRxEbvxG

Media Contact:
Melvin Moh
melvin@legionofracers.com

About HyperDrive Cities Festival 2022

HyperDrive Cities is the first of its kind to bring sim racing into familiar streets, turning cities into race circuits and unlocking the once-in-a-lifetime experience of racing virtually down urban spaces. The HDC Festival will also feature entertainment acts and RaceHub which allows members of the public to experience driving an electric kart. To find out more please visit www.hyperdrivecities.com

About Legion of Racers

The Legion of Racers is Singapore's first sim racing entertainment and lifestyle brand which combines the best in motorsports and the gaming world. With a studio in Kallang, the Legion of Racers taps into the world of sim racing and brings together online gamers who play in games such as Assetto Corsa, Assetto Corsa Competizione, Gran Turismo 7, Formula 1, and RFactor2. Follow Legion of Racers on their Facebook @LegionofRacers and on their website at www.legionofracers.com for updates and information about sim racing activities.

About the Singapore Tourism Board

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore's key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions.

More: www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com
Follow us: https://www.facebook.com/STBsingapore or https://www.linkedin.com/company/singapore-tourism-board/mycompany/

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Maybank Indonesia Announces Winners of Maybank Marathon 2022

BALI, INDONESIA, Aug 28, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – PT Bank Maybank Indonesia, Tbk (Maybank Indonesia) announced the winners of the World Athletics' 'Elite' road race, the Maybank Marathon 2022, as the contest concluded its 10th anniversary run in Bali today (8/28).

With close to 10,000 runners from 50 countries, Maybank Marathon 2022 crowned Hassan Toriss, BIB 004 from Morocco, as champion of the Marathon Open Male category, with a recorded finish time of 2:15:38, and Immaculate Chemutai with BIB 025 from Uganda as champion of the Marathon Open Female category, with a recorded finish time 2:42:32. Each received a cash prize of Rp200,000,000, symbolically handed over by Maybank Marathon Project Director Widya Permana.

In the Marathon National category, Rikki Marthin Luther Simbolon was named champion for the Marathon National Male category with a recorded finish time of 2:34:49, while Odekta Elvina Naibaho came as the champion for the Marathon National Female category with a finish time of 2:55:45. Both received Rp 125,000,000 prize money.

Widya, the Maybank Indonesia Director of Operations and Project Director of the Marathon said, "At the successful conclusion of the Maybank Marathon 2022, we extend our gratitude and appreciation to everyone who has supported the Marathon since preparations began in March 2022. We congratulate the Maybank Marathon 2022 winners whose achievements have demonstrated strong determination to reach their best, in every category."

"Maybank Indonesia is honoured and proud to have organised Indonesia's first and only World Athletics 'Elite' road race Maybank Marathon, for all national and international marathon aficionados and athletes. The 'Elite' label has placed both Maybank Marathon and Indonesia prominently in the world of athletics, specifically marathon sports," concluded Widya.

Winners of the Maybank Marathon 2022 — the Marathon Open & National Category, Half Marathon (21K) Open & National Category and 10K Open & National Categories — are announced in the official release, available on: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/Multimedia/Maybank_Marathon_2022.pdf.

Maybank held a press conference on Saturday, 27 August at Taman Bhagawan, Bali, to preview the 2022 Marathon. The conference was hosted by Widya Permana, the Project Director and Deniawan Rachmatialevi, the Project Manager of Maybank Marathon 2022.

The flag-off, which marks the start of Maybank Marathon, was done in stages starting with the Marathon (42.195 km) category at 04.30 Indonesia Central Time Zone (WITA), followed by the Half Marathon (21.0975 km) at 05.15 WITA, the 10K at 06.00 WITA, and the wheelchair category at 06.10 WITA. For the 10th anniversary of the Marathon, this year's event posted a total prize of Rp2.7 billion for 118 winners, including record-breakers.

Maybank Indonesia witnessed strong runner enthusiasm to join Maybank Marathon 2022 as total participants were on par with events before the pandemic. The support of the central and regional Governments during this recovery period made it possible for marathon enthusiasts to participate in this year's Marathon, said Project Director Widya.

As part of the World Athletics' 'Elite' label road race and its 10th anniversary, Maybank Marathon 2022 enjoyed the participation of 10 elite marathon runners, 5 elite male marathon runners and 5 elite female marathon runners. This year's Marathon also included Indonesia's 9 personal-best time national marathon athletes in the race, consisting of 5 male marathon national runners and 4 female marathon national runners.

Safety and Security
From a safety and security perspective on the 42.195 km road race, the Organising Committee mobilised 850 Police personnel from Bali Police Department and 450 pecalang (neighbourhood / citizen security) from surrounding villages in Gianyar Regency. The Bali Police Department implemented traffic management along the course, mainly on Bypass I.B. Mantra, through the rural streets from Ketewel village, Guwang village, and the road to Medahan village.

In addition, from perspective of safety and well-being for the runners, the Organising Committee deployed around 850 marshals, an approximate 180 paramedics team, and 26 ambulances, consisting of 11 ambulance cars, 15 ambulance motorbikes and one ambulance car with emergency installation standards along the course, as well as 40 pacers, trained in First Aid Emergency Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) procedures to handle any emergency conditions.

From Friday (8/26) to Saturday (8/27), Maybank held the Race Pack Collection (RPC) for participants to collect race packs prior to the race. For runners' safety, Maybank applies a 'You Register, You Run' policy which sets mandatory rules for all participants to collect race packs according to registered name and prohibits proxy to collect the pack. The run slots are non-transferrable, and runners can only join the race based on the selected category upon registration.

This year's Maybank Marathon RPC activity is packaged as a festival of entertainment, featuring well-known Indonesian entertainers, sponsor exhibitions, and a special exhibition for Maybank Indonesia's Sustainability program.

Maybank Indonesia further organized activities for customers to experience banking products through the Maybank Interactive Lounge, Maybank Premier & VIP Lounge and Maybank Information Station, as well as a payment system using QRIS, accessible via Maybank Indonesia's digital banking M2U application, to purchase various sponsors' products such as food and beverages, etc.

Considering the safety of runners, Maybank Marathon applies rules in line with Government Regulation regarding Outdoor Events, outlining the requirement for all runners to have at least a third vaccine (booster) and a mandatory Peduli Lindungi scan prior to entering the Race Pack Collection venue and Race Village. Participants are also mandated to follow health protocols, such as wearing masks, using hand sanitiser and keeping social distance during the event.

Marathon Supporters
Maybank Marathon 2022 received various stakeholders' support, including the Provincial Government of Bali, the Police Department of Bali, the Regency Government of Gianyar, Palang Merah Indonesia (Indonesian red cross), and the Indonesian Athletics Association (PASI).

Maybank Marathon 2022 is also supported by sponsors who played a key role in ensuring the event's success. Maybank Indonesia management and the Maybank Marathon Organising Committee convey appreciation to the following sponsors: Aqua, New Balance, Etiqa Indonesia, Pocari Sweat, Taman Bhagawan, Bali Safari & Marine Park, BMW, Berita Satu, RS Kasih Ibu, RS Kenak Medika, Biznet, Rintis ATM Prima, Traveloka, Rubiyat, Cardea, Gambino, Indofood Ice Cream, Optik Tunggal, Fit Bar, Garmin, Strive Gel, Salon Pas, Bali Hai, Waterbom, Shokz, Re.juve, Pelita Air, Swan Paradise by Pramana, Rhadana, Swiss-Belhotel Tuban, Plataran, Parasol, Royal Tulip Jimbaran, Artotel Sanur, and Tribe Hotel.

Maybank Indonesia management and the Organizing Committee also convey appreciation to the following media partners: Metro TV, Berita Satu Media Holdings, Tribun Group, Jawa Pos Group, LKBN Antara, Tempo Media Group and Gatra Media Group, as well as supporting coverage from local and other renowned media during the 2022 Marathon event with articles, videos, and photos of the event and activities.

For the latest updates on the 2022 Maybank Marathon in Bali :
– Website: https://www.maybank.co.id/Maybank-Marathon
– Instagram: @maybankmarathon
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaybankMarathon
– Twitter: @maybankmarathon

About Maybank Marathon
Maybank Marathon is an international level marathon organized by PT Bank Maybank Indonesia, Tbk (Maybank Indonesia} since 2012 which offers a full marathon (42.195 km), half marathon (21.0975 km), and 10K (10 km). Various recognition has been achieved by Maybank Marathon, among which: included as one of the eleven "Remarkable races in the world that one must participate before you die" by The Active, one of "The 52 Best Races on Earth 2016" by Runnersworld, Best Marathon 2016, Best Half Marathon 2015, and the Most Popular Sport Event 2018 by the Venue magazine.

In 2020, the Maybank Marathon received the "Elite Label" certification from World Athletics, the former IAAF, the international organization that regulates and oversees the implementation of marathon races around the world. Maybank Marathon is also part of the 175 Marathon qualification series World Championship Abbott World Marathon Major ("Abbott WMM"), Wanda Age Group World Rankings and became one of the qualifying Race Boston Marathon. Maybank Marathon 2019 became Indonesia's National Sports Agenda ("PON") qualification in Papua in 2021.

About Maybank Indonesia
PT Bank Maybank Indonesia is one of the leading banks in Indonesia and is a part of the regional and international network of the Maybank Group. Maybank Indonesia provides a comprehensive range of products and services for individual and corporate customers through Community Financial Services and Global Banking and automotive financing through subsidiaries, WOM Finance for two-wheeled vehicles and Maybank Finance for four-wheeled vehicles. Maybank Indonesia also continues to develop Digital Banking services and capacity through M2U (App and Web), M2E for corporate customer and other various channels.

As of June 2022, Maybank Indonesia has 354 branches, including Shariah branches spread across Indonesia, including one overseas branch in Mumbai, India, 22 Mobile Cash Cars and 986 ATMs connected with over 20,000 ATMs incorporated in ATM PRIMA, ATM BERSAMA, ALTO, CIRRUS, and connected to 3,500 Maybank ATMs in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Maybank Indonesia manages customer deposits amounting to Rp111.66 trillion and has total assets valued at Rp167.33 trillion. Visit www.maybank.co.id.

More information, please contact:
Dimas Tjahjono Dradjat, Head, Communications
Email: communications@maybank.co.id
Tel: +6221 2922-8888

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Subang Parade Hosts Fashion Show at its Merdeka Fiesta

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Subang Parade, a core property owned by Hektar REIT, is pleased to announce the kick-off of Subang Parade Merdeka Fiesta weekend with an inaugural fashion show featuring local designers this afternoon.

YAM Tengku Temenggong Perlis Dato' Seri DiRaja Syed Amir Abidin Jamalulail, and YM Che Puan Temenggong Perlis Datin Seri DiRaja Farinawati

En Johari Shukri bin Jamil, CEO of Hektar REIT

Fashion line by Calvin Thoo

The opening event saw fashion lines unveiled by local designers Calvin Thoo, Toods, Deez, My Syakirin, Tengku Kery, ByTwoo and Bujins. The launch of the Merdeka Fiesta was graced by the attendance of YAM Tengku Temenggong Perlis Dato' Seri DiRaja Syed Amir Abidin Jamalulail, YM Che Puan Temenggong Perlis Datin Seri DiRaja Farinawati and Johari Shukri bin Jamil, Chief Executive Officer of Hektar REIT. Also in attendance were business associates, corporate figures and representatives from Subang Parade tenants.

Internationally known fashion designer Calvin Thoo, famed for his passion for fine fabrics and intricate embroidery of modern baju kurung, and celebrated for his specialisation in traditional clothing and cuttings, showcased his special lines reminding the audience of the spirit of Merdeka.

He said, "My inspiration for today's line is the independent expression of tradition meeting the 21st century, captivated yet, reminiscent of bygone days." Thoo has participated in fashion shows in Paris, Australia, China, Thailand and Indonesia and has designed for the Royal Families of Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Johor and Perlis. His self-named boutique is located in Kuala Lumpur on Jalan Imbi.

Celebrities including Ifa Raziah, Yasmin Hani, Dynas Mokhtar and Suki Low, were also present with their booths of locally made merchandise at the bazaar. Other booths with interesting merchandise include Moore Authentics, Pretty Suci and Inner Sejuk.

Commenting on the weekend event, Johari said, "As the sponsor and a proud Malaysian, Subang Parade is honoured to present Merdeka Fiesta and today's Batik, Tenun and Songket Fashion Show. We take great pride in showcasing our culture and the best of Malaysia. We are looking forward to collaborating with local talents to present more unforgettable fashion experiences in the coming months and making our malls vibrant again with exciting activities and events to welcome shoppers."

The Subang Parade Merdeka Fiesta from 27 August to 31 August 2022 has activities lined up, including fashion shows, performances by local celebrities, a bazaar featuring locally made and produced merchandise, local cuisine cooking demonstrations, hobby demonstrations and a petting zoo to bring families, neighbours and friends together.

Download hi-res images:
Launch Event: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/z72whqsz42021re/AADrj-FRrnsjcmOT6ndTUpHHa?dl=0

Subang Parade: https://www.subangparade.com.my/

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Merdeka at Kuantan 188

KUANTAN, Malaysia, Aug 26, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Kuantan 188, Malaysia's second-tallest tower, will host two major events, the Kuantan 188 International Extreme Challenge (KIEC), their first-ever challenge event since reopening early this year, and Pesta Kuantan 188.

En Mohd Shafrul Bin Kadir, Jabatan Belia & Sukan Negeri Pahang; Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Johari, Exco Sumber Manusia, Belia & Sukan; YB Senator Dato' Sri Ti Lian Ker, Timbalan Menteri Belia & Sukan; Dato' Zulkifli Mohamad, Kuantan 188 Managing Director; Man Bai, Malaysian rock singer; Puan Haslina Binti Bahasan, Ketua Jabatan Bahagian Pelaburan dan Penswastaan [L-R]

Khairul Azrin Bin Abdullah, Skywalk Operator of Tower Kuantan 188

Encik Jamaluddin Ismail, oldest Malaysian base jumper, 67years old

The KIEC will see a group of people base jumping from the tower in celebration of Merdeka while Pesta Kuantan will be held from 27 August 2022 to 4 September 2022.

The launch will be officiated by Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Senator Dato' Sri Ti Lian Ker and Chairman of the Pahang State Human Resources, Youth, Sports and Non-Governmental Committee YB Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Johari bin Haji Hussain.

To promote adventure and outdoor sports, the Ministry of Youth and Sports will continue to support events such as KIEC and work closely with Kuantan 188 to encourage local youth groups to use the Kuantan 188 as their venue of choice.

The main focus of the KIEC will be a group of volunteer base jumpers who will jump down 104 metres from the skydeck. There will be a total of 65 jumps from multiple jumpers on 30 August 2022 carrying the Kuantan 188, Pahang and Malaysian flags commemorating 65 years of independence. Among the base jumpers is the country's oldest, 67-year-old Encik Jamaluddin Ismail, from Mentakab, Pahang.

Besides Malaysian base jumpers, there will also be participants from United States, Singapore and Indonesia. Other sports will also be held at the same venue, including paintball, drop zone, kickboxing, outdoor zumba and hammock zone while children can enjoy activities at Kuantan 188's Kids Club and Zipline. The festival will also be hosting local brands with a nine-day pop up retail booth to bring awareness to local talent and support local merchandise.

To celebrate the birthdays of KDYMM Yang Di Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and KDYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Binti Almarhum Al-Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj, which were on 30 July 2022 and 5 August 2022 respectively, Kuantan 188 will host a concert featuring Man Bai and Joe Flizzow, among others, on 3 September 2022.

Tickets for the concert will be on sale via www.gotifi.com, with four categories available for purchase – TIER 1 (RM188), TIER 2 (RM138), TIER 3 (RM88) and TIER 4 (RM58).

Pesta Kuantan 188 concert is supported by MAA Group Berhad and Imperium International College and sponsored by Selborn Group, Wawasan Intact Properties, CKS Global Buildility, LBS Bina Group, Cameron Valley Tea and Bharat Group, TAS Leisure, Chili's Bar and Grill and Dancom. Official hotel sponsors include Shahzan Hotel Kuantan and Ramada Suites by Wyndham KLCC.

Lucky draw items are powered by Cuckoo, Toush Inspired by Pensonic & Panasonic.

To know more about KIEC and Pesta Kuantan 188, check out @kuantan.188 on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for recent updates, as well as www.kuantan188.com.my.

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Club Med Redefines Vacation for Kids with a new framework inspired by Positive Education, Mini Club Med +

SINGAPORE, Aug 18, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Club Med, the pioneer of Premium All-Inclusive holidays and the number one vacation brand for families, launched the evolution of its highly-acclaimed Kids Club (previously known as Mini Club Med(R)) to Mini Club Med + in Bali. This brand-new science-based framework inspired by Positive Education offers a fun-filled experience where play, cooperation and kindness are celebrated to help develop their soft skills while on vacation.

This much anticipated roll-out across Asia follows the successful test case in Club Med La Palmyre Atlantique, that has been specially formulated to address the changing needs of children and the rising expectations of parents, and directly responds to one of the major concerns, which is how to raise happy children? Holidays are very special moments in children's development, where we believe creativity, courage, appreciation, teamwork or self-expression can be kindled and fostered.

Mini Club Med + is a Game Changer

Club Med has been a pioneer of Kids & Family experiences since 1967, with its initial introduction of Mini Club Med(R), a space for children 4-10 year olds to learn and grow while on vacation. Parents can leave their little ones under the watchful eyes of the Gentils Organisateurs (GOs(R)) in our Resorts, with the assurance that their kids will enjoy the most enriching experiences, while they enjoy their much needed me-time and we-time. With this enhancement to the program, it gives even more value to the time children spend at Mini Club Med + and the experiences that will empower them to be happy & confident.

At Mini Club Med +, kids are being prepared for the future. They will discover and develop unique character strengths around Creativity, Confidence, Connection, Cheerfulness, Courage and Cooperation (the 6 Cs of Mini Club Med +); vital soft skills to being happy, staying connected and growing with confidence.

One of such activities that the little ones can look forward at Mini Club Med + is the Ninja Bootcamp, where it requires them to design their own obstacle course and conquering it. The goal is to reveal a child's unique character strengths and to develop his or her ability to effectively engage those strengths leading to increased self-esteem, energy and happiness. This approach echoes Club Med's raison d'etre, perfectly matching the vision of Club Med's founder, Gerard Blitz: "The purpose of life is to be happy. The place to be happy is here. The time to be happy is now."

The program was developed in partnership with Professor Ilona BONIWELL, an Expert in Positive Psychology & Positive Education and a world leader in the field of Positive Psychology, with over 20 years of experience. A wealth of exciting new activities was designed to help children discover and develop their strengths. All of the original Mini Club Med activities such as sports and the Mini Club Med Show have also been re-engineered and passed through the same framework, to help nurture children's soft skills, making them more than just fun activities, but truly enriching learning experiences.

"Families are at the core of our offering at Club Med and this new enhancement of Mini Club Med + truly redefines the enriching holiday experiences children will have at our resorts. Over 70% of our guests from Asia visiting Club Med are families, we see the value and opportunity to empower the next generation with the character strengths they need to thrive in this fast-changing world." said Rachael Harding, Chief Executive Officer, East and South Asia & Pacific markets, Club Med. "We are thrilled to be able to launch this enhancement across Asia (excluding China) and highlight our commitment to delivering unparalleled and meaningful experiences for families."

The Media Launch at Club Med Bali, the #1 resort for families

The sneak peek into the Mini Club Med + program, held at Club Med Bali, presented the perfect space for family vacations. The Premium All-Inclusive Resort which recently reopened last month, features the ideal hassle-free infrastructure for families. Beyond the new Mini Club Med + enhancement, the Resort also has Kids' Clubs for children 4 months to 17 years, the award-winning Amazing Family! program that encourages family bonding in a unique way, services and facilities such as a baby corner with pureed food for infants, interconnecting rooms which make vacationing as a family a breeze and over 60 sports and activities for all ages, making it the resort with the largest number of in-resort sports and activities in Bali.

Club Med's First Ever Immersive Art Installation

Making waves during the event launch at Club Med Bali is the debut of Club Med's first ever immersive art installation in partnership with Art Wonderland Singapore. This exclusive art installation brings another dimension of creative play, allowing families to bond over imaginative play and expose them to the artful storytelling in an outdoor setting. It hopes to encourage the spirit of pretend play and wild imaginations in families and to allow children to hone their strengths and develop soft skills through this limited-time feature.

About the artwork installation:

Of Dreams and Adventures is an experience-based, immersive installation that aims to encourage family visitors to play in the spirit of adventure. On a journey across a monstrous ocean to an illuminating forest and musical cave, family visitors are invited to take part in imaginative play and adopt the role of brave explorers on a quest for the glowing crown. Filled with interactive elements and playful activities, Of Dreams and Adventures aims to allow families to practice teamwork and embrace their wildest imagination for the greatest adventure of all time.

New Discoveries Await Families

In addition to the art installation, Club Med Bali will feature brand-new robust entertainment for the whole family. When evening comes around, grab the kids and head to the theatre for energizing beats in the new digital shows 'Colours' & 'Magic Tribe' by our talented GOs in dazzling costumes are sure to mesmerize and are definitely Instagram-worthy.

Connecting you to the soul of Bali, the resort also introduced a dedicated Balinese Day each week, where families can join in local cooking classes with striking flavours and relish in the rich, cultural performances. Another note-worthy event is the Nomad Festival themed day, where colourful bohemian-chic happenings and curated workshops such as eco-friendly glitter make-up, dreamcatcher-making and boho-chic festival party with a live DJ await. Watch as families of all ages doll up, bringing vibrancy of the island to life and with it, precious memories and maybe some new phone wallpapers.

Competitive families may find picking up a new sport while on vacation a massive draw and the best chance to level out the playing field between parents and kids. With the newest addition, Padel Tennis to Club Med Bali's extensive list of all-inclusive activities in the Resort, families can seek to develop a new skill together.

For more details on What's New at Club Med Bali, check out our press release on Bali Reignited.

About Club Med

Club Med, founded in 1950 by Gerard Blitz, invented the all-inclusive holiday club concept, adding in activities especially for children with the creation of the Mini Club in 1967. Led by its pioneering spirit, Club Med seeks out exceptional destinations and sites. Today, Club Med is the world's leading provider of upscale, all-inclusive holiday packages with a French touch for families and working couples. Club Med operates nearly 70 resorts, of which 85% are rated Premium & Exclusive Collection. Present in 30 countries around the world, the Group employs more than 23,000 Gentils Organisateurs (GOs) and Gentils Employes (GEs), representing 110 nationalities.

About Art Wonderland:\

Based in Singapore, Art Wonderland is an art collective that consists of lead artists – Lena Lok, Jesse Chong and Stacy Huang – and their team of creatives. Grounded in education, the collective designs spaces and encounters that stimulate curiosity and enables discovery of the worlds around us. Through exploration of mediums and creative dialogue, Art Wonderland aims to empower children to be independent artists that can tell their own stories.

About Ilona Boniwell

Ilona Boniwell is a professor of positive psychology at the University of East London and the original founder of the UEL's MSc in Applied Positive Psychology, the first ever degree of this type in Europe. She is one of the world leaders in positive psychology, working in the field for over 20 years, originally mentored by Martin Seligman. Professor Boniwell wrote or edited twelve books, delivered over 200 keynotes and a TEDx, founded the European Network of Positive Psychology, organised the first European Congress of Positive Psychology and was the first vice-chair of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). She is also a passionate practitioner of positive psychology. As a CEO of Positran she consulted the Governments of UAE and Bhutan and many major international companies, including Club Med, L'Oreal, Unilever, Nestle, EY, Microsoft and BNP Paribas.

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SoPa) Marks First Foray into Indonesia by Acquiring Jakarta-based NusaTrip, Indonesia’s First International Air Transport Association-Accredited Online Travel Agency

JAKARTA, Aug 15, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Society Pass Inc (Nasdaq: SOPA), Southeast Asia's ("SEA") next generation digital ecosystem, announces the acquisition of NusaTrip ("NusaTrip"), a leading Jakarta-based Online Travel Agency ("OTA") in Indonesia and across SEA. The NusaTrip acquisition extends SoPa's business reach into the booming SEA regional travel industry and marks SoPa's first foray into Indonesia as well as adds to SoPa's growing ecosystem of technology-enabled companies located in Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Established in 2013 as the first Indonesian OTA accredited by the International Air Transport Association, NusaTrip pioneered offering a comprehensive range of airlines and hotels to Indonesian corporate and retail customers. With its first mover advantage, NusaTrip has onboarded +1.2 million registered users, +500 airlines and +200,000 hotels around the world as well as connected with over 80 million unique visitors.

Dennis Nguyen, Society Pass Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, explains, "We happily welcome NusaTrip into our ever-expanding SoPa ecosystem. NusaTrip seamlessly blends into our user and merchant growth strategy as we enter yet another leading SEA market. We combine the robust technology and operational breadth of NusaTrip's e-commerce travel platform with our extensive brand building experience in SEA. With this acquisition, SoPa now cross-pollinates and integrates our six verticals (loyalty, lifestyle, food & beverage, telecoms, digital media and travel) into one cohesive loyalty and e-commerce platform to provide enhanced products and services for our consumers and merchants throughout the largest countries of SEA. SoPa has grown from strength to strength in 2022 as we opportunistically acquire market leading companies and partner with visionary entrepreneurs, underlining our unique aggregator approach that reflects immediate returns in terms of increased revenue generation and cost optimisation."

Patrick Soetanto, Society Pass Indonesia Country Manager, adds, "We will expand NusaTrip's services to support future growth pathways in more SEA countries in the very near future by integrating more travel product lines in its mix and developing more competitive products for a much larger international and regional audience."

Well-positioned to benefit from a high-growth travel industry, Indonesia's and SEA's inbound and outbound travel revenues are expected to continue soaring as increasingly more consumers engage in post-pandemic travel. This marked increase in demand is driven by strong government initiatives to boost tourism, the rise of Indonesia's burgeoning middle class and strong internet penetration, which enables more Indonesians to easily book flights and hotels through OTAs.

"NusaTrip is proud to officially partner with SoPa. By joining forces with SoPa's extensive ecosystem and large user and merchant bases in SEA, we are thrilled about the combined marketing capabilities. With the revival of the travel market throughout SEA in 2Q/3Q 2022, NusaTrip aims to dramatically increase its customer base by offering the region's business and leisure travellers more competitive, no-surcharge hotel and flight fares, convenient payment methods, and speedy itinerary bookings with our user-friendly platform," comments Menak Galumbang, Co Founder, Nusatrip.

About Society Pass

As a digitally-focused loyalty and data marketing ecosystem in Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, SoPa is an acquisition-focused e-commerce holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, lifestyle, F&B, telecoms, digital media, and travel), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

SoPa's business model focuses on analysing user data through its Society Pass loyalty platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points. The Society Pass loyalty platform drives customer acquisition and increases customer retention for merchants. Since its inception, SoPa has amassed over 3.3 million registered consumers and over 205,000 registered merchants/brands onto its platform. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture with cutting-edge components to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Leflair.com, Vietnam's leading lifestyle e-commerce platform, Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines, Handycart.vn, a leading online restaurant delivery service based in Vietnam, Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator, Thoughtful Media Group, a Bangkok-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital video multi-platform network, and Mangan, the leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines. For more information, please check out: http://thesocietypass.com/.

Media Contacts:
PRecious Communications
sopa@preciouscomms.com

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Malaysia Witnesses 31% YoY Hiring Growth

Retail and Tourism roles drive high demand: Monster Employment Index

Overall hiring improved by 31 per cent on a year-on-year basis
Retail led with triple-digit growth of 321% annually in the Malaysian job market
Demand for professionals across Hospitality and Travel roles surged as tourism bounces back in the country

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, July 15, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The Malaysian job market has recorded a 31% growth in job demand this June indicating a spree in hiring activity on an annual basis. A number of segments hit hardest by Covid-19 have shown promising signs of resurgence, as per the Monster Employment Index (MEI).

An upsurge of 15% was registered for hiring activity over the last six months, while month-on-month growth improved at 5% projecting a continuous demand in the job market.

Despite two years of restriction on public activities, rising prices, and the current labour crisis, the retail industry in Malaysia has moved towards recovery with a 321% year-on-year growth in job activity in June 2022. Moreover, retail sales in the country are projected to grow at the rate of 25.7% in the current quarter as per Malaysian retail associations. While the country has seen a number of retail closures over the pandemic, consumer sentiments soar high showcasing a positive outlook for this segment in the months to come.

Commenting on job trends for June 2022, Sekhar Garisa, CEO, Monster.com – APAC & Gulf said, “Companies today are ramping up their demand for a digital-first future-ready workforce amidst the ongoing talent crunch we see globally. Jobs in Malaysia have come back and several industries have begun to almost reflect pre-pandemic business functioning with steadfast recovery especially across deeply impacted segments like Tourism, Hospitality, and Retail. With flexible work arrangements gaining popularity in the job market, we are optimistic to see continued growth and resilience in the coming months.”

Following retail, the Hospitality segment (up 65 percent) has also seen a huge inflow of demand for professionals in tourism and travel related industries with the user penetration rate nearing the pre-pandemic levels. With improved business sentiments and airline travel ramping up, tourism in the country has certainly picked up accompanied by the consequent rise in demand for skilled talent. Logistic, Courier/ Freight/ Transportation, Shipping/ Marine (up 51 percent) also noted a huge jump in hiring activity being next in the rung, followed by rapid digitization in BFSI (up 32 percent).

Other sectors that noted promising growth in June include Production/Manufacturing, Automotive and Ancillary (up 4 percent), IT, Telecom/ISP, BPO/ITES (up 5 percent), Advertising, Market Research, Public Relations, Media and Entertainment (up 16 percent) and Engineering, Construction and Real Estate (up 19 percent).

Across roles, the Malaysian job market exhibited maximum demand for professionals in Hospitality & Travel (up 162 percent) driven by travel resumption from neighbouring countries coupled with strong domestic tourism. Interestingly, all 9 functions monitored by the Index saw positive growth over the course of June 2022 projecting a great demand influx for the market.

Given the impressive performance of retail, roles in Customer Service (up 79 percent) increased, followed by Software, Hardware, Telecom (up 58 percent). Finance & Accounts (up 52 percent) and Sales & Business Development (up 41 percent) also observed a rise.

The Monster Employment Index is a broad monthly analysis of online job posting activity conducted by Monster India. Based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of online career outlets, the Monster Employment Index presents a snapshot of employer online recruitment activity nationwide.

Period for the report

The period considered for the MEI data is 1^st to 30^th June 2022.

About Monster APAC & Middle East

Monster (a Quess Company), the leading online career and recruitment resource, with its cutting-edge technology provides relevant profiles to employers and jobs to jobseekers across industry verticals, experience levels, and geographies. More than 200 million people have registered on the Monster Worldwide network. Today, with operations in more than 40 countries, Monster provides the widest and most sophisticated job seeking, career management, recruitment, and talent management capabilities globally.

Monster continues its pioneering work of transforming the recruiting industry with advanced technology using intelligent digital, social and mobile solutions, and a vast array of products and services.

Contact:

Yatharth Sharma
yatharth.sharma@monsterindia.com

Silky Sharma
silky.sharma@adfactorspr.com

Malaysia Witnesses 31% YoY Hiring Growth

Retail and Tourism roles drive high demand: Monster Employment Index

Overall hiring improved by 31 per cent on a year-on-year basis
Retail led with triple-digit growth of 321% annually in the Malaysian job market
Demand for professionals across Hospitality and Travel roles surged as tourism bounces back in the country

An upsurge of 15% was registered for hiring activity over the last six months, while month-on-month growth improved at 5% projecting a continuous demand in the job market.

Period for the report

The period considered for the MEI data is 1^st to 30^th June 2022.

About Monster APAC & Middle East

Contact:

Yatharth Sharma
yatharth.sharma@monsterindia.com

Silky Sharma
silky.sharma@adfactorspr.com

Director-General of Investment Promotion visits Middle East and Europe to promote Hong Kong’s long-term business opportunities

HONG KONG, May 29, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Stephen Phillips, today (May 29) started his duty visit to Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Kuwait in the Middle East, and Amsterdam, Lisbon and Madrid in Europe as part of the latest efforts of Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) to promote Hong Kong's business attractions.

Mr Stephen Phillips

During the visit, Mr Phillips will meet with business leaders from various sectors including innovation and technology, financial services and family offices, fintech, business and professional services, tourism and hospitality, and transport, infrastructure and advanced manufacturing. He will also speak at three events in Abu Dhabi, Lisbon and Madrid, giving updates on Hong Kong's latest business environment and opportunities, highlighting the city's strategic role in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Mr Phillips said, "Hong Kong is an ideal location for overseas and Mainland companies, as well as entrepreneurs from around the world, as a base to set up or expand their business in Hong Kong, the GBA, China, and Asia more widely. The facts speak for themselves: in two surveys conducted last year, we saw a record number of businesses from overseas and the Mainland come to Hong Kong, as well as the largest number of start-ups in Hong Kong."

He added, "Hong Kong offers to companies a wide range of routes to growth opportunities. I look forward to sharing with representatives of companies and entrepreneurs the up-to-date and real situation in Hong Kong, and particularly how they can use Hong Kong to seize opportunities, including those arising from the GBA."

About InvestHK

InvestHK is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services for overseas and Mainland companies. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Hong Kong ‘ideal listing destination’ for ASEAN companies

HONG KONG, May 27, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Hong Kong has been named as an ideal overseas listing destination for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) companies in a research report^ prepared by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in collaboration with CCB International (CCBI).

Hong Kong is an ideal overseas listing destination for companies in the ASEAN region, according to a research report prepared by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in collaboration with CCB International (CCBI).

HKTDC Director of Research Irina Fan said: "With the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement coming into effect on 1 January 2022, closer regional economic integration will foster funding needs for projects across Asia, particularly with regard to ASEAN companies' projects in Mainland China and vice versa. Hong Kong is ideally positioned to serve as a platform to satisfy two-way funding needs."

Simon Lee, Head of Corporate Finance & Capital Market Services of CCB International, said: "This is a highly informative and well-researched paper for any executive of an ASEAN company seriously considering fundraising via an overseas listing, and in which the insights of many stakeholders in the region are shared. Hong Kong stands out as the top choice for the listing of ASEAN companies seeking overseas funding."

Most popular overseas listing destination for ASEAN companies

There are already more than 80 ASEAN-headquartered companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange – the highest tally for a non-ASEAN stock market. These listed ASEAN companies represent a variety of sectors covering consumer discretionary, property and construction, information technology and industrial businesses with a total market capitalisation at US$15.3 billion. This indicates that Hong Kong is the most popular overseas listing destination for ASEAN companies, representing a wide variety of enterprises in terms of sector and size.

The research report highlights that Hong Kong's attractiveness to ASEAN companies is due to a range of factors including good market breadth and depth, efficiency and flexibility in funding overseas investment, access to more diversified financial and strategic investor pools, its position as a doorstep to expansion in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Mainland China, strong governance, and the convenience provided by it being in a similar time zone to ASEAN countries.

Strengthening promotion in ASEAN countries

To facilitate ASEAN companies' needs and enhance Hong Kong's position as an overseas listing hub for these enterprises, Ms Fan highlighted some of the key recommendations proposed by survey interviewees. "Hong Kong should step up its promotion in ASEAN countries to raise companies' awareness. Indeed, it is clear that some ASEAN companies need to be more informed about the latest developments relating to Hong Kong's listing regime and policies," she said.

HK well positioned for ASEAN companies in prevailing and emerging sectors

Survey interviewees highlighted that in addition to prevailing sectors in ASEAN such as consumer goods and services, mining and commodities and real estate investment trusts (REITs), fast-growing sectors including biotech, high-tech enterprises and fintech are showing good potential, while environmental, social and governance (ESG) is becoming an increasingly important factor across Southeast Asia. Interviewees suggested that Hong Kong can further reinforce its position as a listing destination for both prevailing and emerging sectors in ASEAN by streamlining its processes for overseas listing and the new special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) regime, in addition to providing listing incentives for REITs. Hong Kong is also in a strong position to respond to the growing need for ESG funding in the ASEAN bloc.

Closer collaboration with ASEAN exchanges to promote dual primary/secondary listing

Hong Kong can also enhance collaboration with ASEAN exchanges to promote dual primary/secondary listing in Hong Kong. "Hong Kong is the gateway between ASEAN countries and Mainland China. By working with ASEAN stock exchanges to facilitate the dual or secondary listing of ASEAN companies in Hong Kong, all parties would be better positioned to capture the growing opportunities," Ms Fan added.

Hong Kong as preferred listing destination for Malaysian companies

The report also gave insights into overseas listings by Malaysian enterprises. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange has the largest number of listed Malaysian companies among key stock exchanges outside ASEAN, and Hong Kong is well perceived by Malaysian companies as an important gateway for expanding into Mainland China. Leveraging Malaysia's economic growth and further economic integration in the region, Malaysia's fast-growing IT sector and growth companies could be potential candidates for listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange through the new SPAC route.

^ The report is based on desktop research and interviews conducted by the HKTDC from September 2021 to January 2022. Interviewees included senior executives/members of listed companies, chambers of commerce, professional organisations, legal practitioners, accountants and investment bankers. Interviewees were asked to share their insights on Hong Kong's strengths as a listing destination for ASEAN companies, some of the hurdles ASEAN companies are facing, as well as recommendations to strengthen Hong Kong's position as a listing hub. The first research report in this series focuses on the overall overseas listing regime of Hong Kong as well as Hong Kong as a listing destination for Malaysian companies, while two subsequent reports on Thai and Indonesian companies listing in Hong Kong will be released later this year. Disclaimer https://tinyurl.com/HKTDC-Disclaimer

References
– HKTDC Research Portal: https://research.hktdc.com/en
– "Hong Kong as a Listing Destination for ASEAN Companies": https://bit.ly/3ajmAkV
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3MsV1UI

Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:
Snowy Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4525, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org

Please contact CCBI's Corporate Finance & Capital Market Services:
Sam Siu, Tel: +852 3911 8926, Email: samsiu@ccbintl.com

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

About CCBI

CCB International (Holdings) Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively "CCB International") is a financial and investment services company owned by China Construction Bank Corporation ("CCB"). CCB International is committed to expanding its international platform. Backed by the CCB global network, its business covers key financial centres worldwide including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore and London. CCB International offers a full range of products and services including sponsoring and underwriting, financial advisory, corporate mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, additional issuance and placement of shares, refinancing for listed companies, direct investment, asset management, securities brokerage, market research, investment consultancy, futures and commodities business. The corporate finance and capital market services of CCB International have raised almost HKD5 trillion from the global equity market for hundreds of companies. For more information, please visit: http://www.ccbintl.com/English.html.

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com