Singapore’s MICE and events industry will be guided by the government’s phased re-opening plans. Photo Credit: Getty images
SINGPORE - The Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS), along with Singapore Tourism Board and Enterprise Singapore, has started work on an Industry Resilience Roadmap (IRR), which will serve as an “operational handbook” for MICE enterprises to develop their agility and build resilience for a post-COVID world. A final release date will be announced soon.
The immediate objective of the IRR is to provide guidance around a safe and sustainable operating environment for all MICE and events stakeholders.
SACEOS president, Aloysius Arlando, said: “This crisis hasn’t simply paused our plans, it has fundamentally altered the way we live, work and play. The rules of engagement have changed, and difficult decisions will have to be made, which is why we must rally together to strengthen our workforce and business capabilities to ensure we emerge stronger and better prepared for future crises.
“As we wade through unchartered waters, Singapore’s MICE and events industry will be guided by the government’s phased reopening plans and baseline health and safety measures. A number of strategic workgroups involving industry members and government agencies have been formed to ensure the IRR achieves its outcomes.
“The premise of the IRR is to guide the MICE and Events industry through a transition from recovery to resiliency. This is an ongoing process and the resulting guidelines and recommendations will be released over time.”
The IRR will also outline pathways that will enable the workforce to emerge stronger from the crisis and to thrive in a post-COVID world. This will include a series of certifiable programmes to allow MICE and event professionals to re-skill. There will also be a framework to help businesses embed digital capabilities to drive innovation and maintain agility in the ‘new normal’.
Another critical objective of the IRR is to establish a national qualified list of industry players to ensure IRR recommendations are shared with the entire MICE and events ecosystem.
The IRR three strategic objectives:
1. Safe and sustainable operating environment: Outlining safe and hygienic protocols for the reopening of events with a focus on the customer journey
2. Strengthen enterprise capabilities to innovate and scale-up: Embedding digital foundations and risk-mitigated business models that enable us to be agile in years ahead
3. Build a strong and vibrant industry to drive future change: Developing new and certifiable capabilities, establishing a national qualified list of industry players.