TTGmice Publications February/March 2019 | Page 26

Destination: Penang Special Chinese New Year. Here on the Khoo Kongsi grounds, which comes with a stage, planners can have a private event showcasing Chinese arts and traditions such as lion dance performances, Chinese opera, Chingay parades, bian lian or Chinese face chang- ing. CAPACITY: 800 people cocktail style Hotel Equatorial Penang MASTERS OF CREATIVITY HOST YOUR EVENT HERE: Tropical Spice Garden ADD A FESTIVAL SLANT: Tropical Spice Garden showcases over 500 varieties of exotic flora and fauna, spices and herbs, spread over eight acres of sec- ondary jungle. It is a great venue to visit and see the spices grown before visiting the Penang International Food Festival. Planners can take advantage of pre- planned guided tours that are offered daily at 9am, 11am and 1.30pm, each last- ing an hour and 15 minutes. Private tours are available upon request. Another splendid idea is to have a hawker-style dine-around event held in the attraction’s two indoor pavilions. This will give delegates a precious opportunity to sample much-loved local street food. As well, a cooking class can be ar- ranged, with Peranakan, Malay, Indian- Malay, Thai, Penang street food and Asian vegetarian dishes on the menu. CAPACITY: Private spice tour, up to 120 people per session; cooking class, up to 20 people per session; dine-around, 100 people HOST YOUR EVENT HERE: Hotel Equatorial Penang ADD A FESTIVAL SLANT: Being only 20 minutes from UNESCO Her- itage Site George Town, Hotel Equatorial Penang is perfect for private events tied with the district’s heritage festivals. The hotel has the flexibility and the capabil- ity to accommodate groups and events of all sizes, and venues are available both indoors and out. Planners could kick off an incentive event during George Town Heritage Celebrations or George Town Festival with a welcome cocktail by the outdoor pool, before proceeding to ballroom or one of the 21 function rooms for the main party. CAPACITY: Grand Ballroom, up to 70 tables; Matahari Ballroom, up to 170 tables; outdoor pool deck, 150 to 200 people cocktail style HOST YOUR EVENT HERE: Khoo Kongsi ADD A FESTIVAL SLANT: Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, or Khoo Kongsi in short, is one of the most distinctive Chinese clan associations in Malaysia. It is well known worldwide for its extensive lineage that can be traced back 650 years, as well as its closely-knit and defensive congregation of buildings and a magnificent clanhouse situated at the southwest of George Town. This clanhouse is the perfect venue for themed business events that coincide with the Chinese New Year festivities. One such event is the Penang Hot Air Balloon Fi- esta, that falls on the ninth and 10 th day of HOST YOUR EVENT HERE: Sunway Hotel Georgetown and Sunway Hotel Seberang Jaya ADD A FESTIVAL SLANT: Sunway Hotel Georgetown and Sunway Hotel Seberang Jaya both house function rooms, and are familiar with catering to corporate events. Sunway Hotel Georgetown offers three function rooms which can be combined to form a single, large ballroom for up to 200 banquet guests or 300 pax in theatre style. Sunway Hotel Seberang Jaya offers 11 meeting spaces of varying sizes, with the largest capable of accommodating 450 people in theatre style. These hotels are ideal for private func- tions held in conjunction with Penang International Food Festival. Delegates can sample a wide selection of local food that Penang is known for, in the air-condi- tioned comfort of both hotels. Additional- ly, organisers can also arrange for cooking demonstrations. CAPACITY: Sunway Hotel Georgetown ballroom, 300 pax theatre style; Sunway Hotel Seberang Jaya ballroom, 450 pax theatre style Sunway Hotel Georgetown