After a year of planning and organizing, Bonvo Travel took off in style as the main sponsor of the prestigious HR Summit 2010 held at Suntec Convention Centre in Singapore on 6 and 7 May. The Summit was chosen as the prefect platform to launch Bonvo to the corporate world as the HR professionals at the event would be a key audience to pitch the company’s three core businesses – Corporate Travel, M.I.C.E, and Lifestyle & Rewards programmes for employees.

The entire Bonvo team worked many late nights and through weekends to pull everything together, and their hard work has paid off tremendously. Nearly 200 leads were generated in those two days, with three new corporate clients signing up on the spot. The team also amassed a database of about 750 top HR executives. Projected revenue growth for Bonvo Travel is now expected to be 35% by end of 2010, and 150% by end of 2012.

A cocktail evening on a yacht, as well as a 2-day experiential stay at Bintan Lagoon Resort, were two events offered to select delegates as a way to showcase Bonvo’s ability to create flawless, memorable events for clients. Both events were oversubscribed, and more are being developed to cater to the huge interest that the Summit has generated for Bonvo.

Mr Joachim Steffen, MD of Bonvo Travel, gave the opening address at the Summit, introducing Bonvo Travel to the 3,000 attendees through the corporate video. In addition, Andy Michaels Lim, GM of Bonvo Travel, conducted a workshop on How You Can Deliver Value and Maximise Your Corporate Travel Budget with Effective Corporate Travel Practices, captivating and entertaining an audience of around 600 people. He was subsequently interviewed by HRM, the regionally distributed human resource publication, on the M.I.C.E industry, incentive rewards and corporate social responsibility.

In their sharp black suits, each member of the Bonvo team maximized those two full days at the Summit to talk to delegates about the various ways Bonvo could bring value to their company’s travel and HR retention strategies, passing out brochures, flyers and sample itineraries. The striking orange and black Bonvo booth was certainly one of the most visited at the Summit.

The Summit caps a first half year of successes and achievements by Bonvo Travel. In early May, the company obtained ISO 9000:2008 certification for travel related services and M.I.C.E, the latter being a rare distinction in the industry. Bonvo was also awarded IATA accreditation for meeting stringent standards in licensing, service excellence and delivery of quality travel products and services.

Congratulations to the entire team at Bonvo Travel for taking flight with this opportunity and putting together a highly successful event, proving that indeed, they live up to their mission of exceeding the expectations of their clients.

Click HERE for photos of HR Summit 2010

BONVO Travel (Singapore) Pte Ltd has been granted the coveted IATA accreditation in Singapore by meeting the stringent industry standards of licensing, service excellence and consistent delivery of quality travel products and packages.

This accreditation will now allow BONVO Travel to act on behalf of more than 230 airlines to issue both domestic and international tickets and utilise the standardised procedures to ensure fair dealings with the airlines.

As an IATA accredited agent, BONVO Travel is also now able to provide its customers with the best value airfares and serve the regional offices of its corporate clients more efficiently. As a major player in the M.I.C.E. industry in Singapore, this is a key factor that will help build its travel portfolio as it continues to offer a wide range of accommodation, event venues and logistical support.

BONVO Travel’s corporate clientele span the Asia Pacific region, with key accounts in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, India and the Philippines. Established in 1998, BONVO Travel’s inclusion in the IATA international network is a testament to its service excellence and dedication to securing Singapore’s position as a top destination for M.I.C.E. travel in Asia.

“We are proud to receive this vote of confidence from an international body like IATA,” said Joachim K. Steffen, Managing Director of BONVO Travel. “We understand the great responsibility entrusted to us with this accreditation and will continue to provide travel services that exceed the expectations of our customers.”

BONVO Travel (Singapore) Pte Ltd was awarded the ISO 9001:2008 Certification on 27 April 2010 for compliance with the exacting standards set for the travel industry by this internationally recognised organisation for standardisation. BONVO Travel has achieved its certification in both the provision of travel related services as well as the management of meetings, incentives, conferences and events (M.I.C.E.).

The attainment of this ISO Certification affirms that BONVO Travel has not only complied with the terms and definitions used by the industry, it has also maintained a complete record of quality indicators, measurements and procedures for management reporting.

The certification for M.I.C.E. is a rare distinction. It places the agency in a category of very few international M.I.C.E. service providers who are not only trusted by their customers, but also by exhibition organisers, contractors, venue operators and freight forwarders.

With the M.I.C.E. industry here set to boom with the opening of the two integrated resorts, and with Singapore’s unique economic and geographic position in Asia, BONVO Travel Pte Ltd is poised to continually raise the bar for the services provided to M.I.C.E. customers, and hence securing Singapore’s reputation as the ideal location to host global events, exhibitions and conferences.

“We are extremely honoured to have received this ISO recognition,” says Joachim K. Steffen, Managing Director of BONVO Travel. “It is a testimony to the initiative, efficiency and dedication of the staff. This honour is for all of them.”

Bonvo Travel is proud to bear the distinction of being the first private sector corporation outside of Brunei to participate in the Brunei: Heart of Borneo Project, a joint initiative by the Government of Brunei and WWF to plant trees to re-populate the vanishing rainforests of Borneo.

This project is part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)-led Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign, a world-wide tree planting initiative which seeks to offset the carbon footprint caused by human civilization and its effects on the environment. The Heart of Borneo is one such project undertaken by the governments of Brunei, Kalimantan and Sabah to act on their commitment to create renewable and sustainable resources.

As a travel agency, BONVO Travel is dedicated to counteracting the effect of air travel on the balance of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. BONVO Travel has thus pledged to plant 1 tree for every 5 air-tickets issued to reduce its carbon footprint, and has committed to this rate of contribution with the government of Brunei for the Heart of Borneo project. On 23 April 2010, the inaugural group of 125 saplings was planted in Panchong Primary, Tutong, at coordinates N 04 38' 28.8", E 114 40' 30.2".

"Singapore, where BONVO is based, is geographically not able to support this sort of effort to the scale which we want to pledge our commitment," said Joachim K. Steffen, Managing Director of BONVO Travel. "We decided to participate in the Heart of Borneo project not just because of its proximity to us, but also because of the commitment shown by the Government of Brunei, which is inspiring. As a long-time advocate of green initiatives, BONVO would like to join hands with the Sultanate of Brunei to protect the environment by promoting sustainable management of natural resources, recycling and conservation of energy".

Under the Heart of Borneo initiative, the Sultanate of Brunei had pledged to place 74% of the country’s area under conservation and sustainable use. Together with Kalimantan and Sabah’s commitment, the island of Borneo will contain some 222,000 square kilometres of conserved land, making it one of the largest nature reserves in the world. This could be the last chance for unique animals such as Borneo’s rhinos, sunbears, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, clouded leopards, orangutans, hornbills and bantengs to survive, including countless new species of plants and animals yet undiscovered by humans.

For more information on the UNEP Plant for the Planet project, visit www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign.

For more information on the Heart of Borneo project, please visit http://www.forestry.gov.bn/heart.htm.


For more information on the BONVO Travel commitment to the Heart of Borneo project, please contact Christine Moorthy at 9011 3357 or email christine.moorthy@bonvo.com.

The plume of volcanic ash drifting across Europe following the eruption of the volcano in the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland on 14 April has forced the closure of many European airports since Thursday 15 April. Volcanic ash contains tiny particles of rock and even glass, which may wreak havoc with machinery and jam aircraft engines.

According to Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for Safety of Air Navigation, around 63,000 flights crossing through European airspace have been cancelled since Thursday, and the airspace restriction is set to extend until Tuesday 20 April. This disruption of air traffic has left millions of people and businesses affected.

Please find below additional advice for Bonvo Travel clients and travellers:

• Airline Web sites. Many travellers have experienced extended wait times when trying to call airlines. This is due to the enormous number of cancelled flights and the large number of travellers needing to rebook and, in some cases, rebook again if the subsequent flight is cancelled. To help in better managing call volume, please consult the airline websites to check flight status and other information available online.


• Ground transportation/hotel. In Europe, many car hire/rental companies have announced they are no longer allowing international rentals. Rail carriers also have limited availability and may not be a viable option. As a result, we advise that travellers consider staying in their current location, contacting the hotel they are in now to extend their stay.


• Insurance. If travellers have already checked in for their flights, they may be covered under their travel insurance policy under the travel delay section. But this will be subject to the terms and conditions of each policy. Do check with Bonvo if you are unsure about what is covered.


• Official news. For the latest information on European airport closings and related news, consult www.eurocontrol.int, the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation’s site. Major news sites and airline websites also offer real-time updates for travellers.

Should you need further information or any assistance with regards to the above, please contact our Corporate Travel Division:
Daniel Tan
DID: +65 6491 0915
Email: daniel.tan@bonvo.com

Aileen Cayanong
DID: +65 6491 0781
Email: aileen.cayanong@bonvo.com

After office hours emergency line (GMT +8hours): +65 9726 2365