Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Tomas
Singapore has revealed that the destination enjoyed a strong year for
MICE in 2022, boosted by major international shows and sporting events.
Visitor numbers are expected to double in 2023, with tourism on track
for full recovery by 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels, which is
likely to fuel interest in Singapore as a MICE destination.
MICE
recovery was driven by a number of major international events taking
place across 2022, including Food and Hotel Asia – Food & Beverage
and Food and Hotel Asia – HoReCa, which took place as two dedicated
trade shows for the first time, ITB Asia, and Singapore Fintech
Festival, which attracted a record turnout from over 115 countries.
STB also secured new events like FIND: Design Fair Asia as well as
Global Health Security Conference 2022 and the 14th World Stroke
Congress.
Sporting events also recovered strongly, including The Formula 1
Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022, held after a two-year
hiatus and which recorded a record number of attendees, with 302,000 at
the event. The Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium was held in
Singapore for the first time in its Southeast Asian debut.
On the hotel front, figures also point to an encouraging 2022. They
show that from April to December 2022, the Average Occupancy Rate (AOR)
was 79.1%, compared to 87.3% recorded in the same period in 2019 and a
number of hotels with facilities for MICE groups opened.
The outlook for 2023 is positive too, and STB says it will continue
to attract those MICE events that are in demand, such as the Herbalife
APAC Extravaganza 2023 and the 25th World Congress of Dermatology 2023.
Keith Tan, chief executive at STB, said: “Our 2022 tourism
performance underscores Singapore’s appeal as a leading business and
leisure destination for post-pandemic travellers. To sustain our growth
in 2023 and beyond, we will expand our partnerships, build up a rich
year-round calendar of events, ramp up investment in new and refreshed
products and experiences, and continue to support industry efforts to
build the capabilities they need to meet consumer demands.”