April 19, 2024
SINGAPORE – With business events booming in the Republic, Singapore wants to be the world’s best destination for Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) events, and one where such events can leave a legacy of positive and lasting impact.
The Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) global campaign to position the Republic as the “World’s Best Mice City” was first announced in end-March and reiterated at the inaugural edition of The Meetings Show Asia Pacific on April 17 at Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands.
The trade show, which is being expanded beyond Britain for the first time since 2013, expects to welcome over 1,000 Mice industry professionals over two days.
Mr Poh Chi Chuan, executive director of exhibitions and conferences at STB, said “business is booming” in the Mice space, where attendance at many locally held business and travel events has already outperformed pre-pandemic numbers.
In February, the Singapore Airshow – which returned to its full-scale form after six years – attracted almost 60,000 trade attendees. This eclipsed the previous record set in 2018 by 10 per cent.
Similarly, in March, the 18th edition of the Asia Pacific Maritime conference saw its highest attendance yet, with over 15,700 attendees.
“One of the key reasons is that it is no longer about pent-up demand,” Mr Poh told The Straits Times on the sidelines of The Meetings Show conference. “Asia has a lot more growth potential compared with other regions, and shows that are embedded (here) and are relevant to Asia are beginning to see the positive overflow coming from the market potential.
“We are in a very good place, and we are really optimistic that demand, in general, is very strong.”
He added that STB’s new campaign is an open call for like-minded industry partners to work with it and drive up the value proposition of their events, making them “both more relevant and a catalyst for good”.
“And you can do it here in Singapore,” Mr Poh said.
To empower businesses, the tourism board is developing a “legacy toolkit” that will contain a clear framework for planning, executing and measuring legacy outcomes or impact of an event.
The toolkit, which will also include case studies and information on the support that STB offers, will be launched by June.
Mr Poh cited the example of recent events such as Asia Tech x Singapore and the formation of the Singapore-based AI Verify Foundation in 2023, which brought together over 60 global tech players, including Google and Microsoft, to tackle pressing issues on artificial intelligence. The foundation will develop AI standards and best practices, and create a neutral platform for collaboration on governing AI.
“The impact of such events is not just on Singapore, but for the wider tech community,” said Mr Poh.
He added that it meets a growing demand from industry members and associations who “want to be involved in an event where it can lead to positive change”.
Singapore’s push for the top Mice destination will centre not only on large-scale events, but also on a “balanced diet” of events of all scales, he said.
It is also the first of six global campaigns that will be rolled out by STB, which include those positioning Singapore as a family playground and culinary capital.
Business events held here can draw on a $300 million Tourism Development Fund first announced by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in March 2024, aimed at helping to develop and market new products and experiences, and supporting local businesses in developing new intellectual properties.
Strong demand persisting post-pandemic
The global Mice industry is estimated to register annual growth of 7.2 per cent from 2023 to 2032, to surpass US$1.7 trillion (S$2.3 trillion) by 2032, according to Precedence Research in a report released in 2023.
In the Asia-Pacific region, the Mice industry is set to expand at an even higher annual growth rate of 7.4 per cent over the same period, accounting for almost half of global market share by 2032.
Singapore’s tourism sector has also continued to post strong recovery, driven by global flight connectivity and capacity, and the implementation of the mutual 30-day visa-free travel between China and Singapore, noted STB deputy chief executive Yap Chin Siang.
In March, international visitor arrivals reached 1.48 million – or 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
Business travel continues to be a driver for this growth, such as with the expansion of The Meetings Show to Asia for the first time.
Mr David Blansfield, executive vice-president and group publisher of Northstar, organiser of the conference, said its Asia edition will return in April 2025, and be the anchor event for Northstar Travel Group in future.
“When planning a meeting, you want the best for your stakeholders – the best hotels, the best venues, the best infrastructure, the best commitment to service at all levels,” said Mr Blansfield.
“We wanted the best for the Meetings Show Asia Pacific, and that is why we brought it to Singapore.”