Safety and security are key attributes that continue to attract international associations and organisers to Singapore. Photo Credit: gettyimages/wnjay_wootthisak
2022 and beyond for Singapore MICE begins on a strong footing with
significant events that are coveted internationally, according to
highlights shared in Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) Year in Review 2021
press conference held on 25 January.
STB expects a steady and consistent pick-up in MICE to follow from
2021’s progress made in hosting more than 200 events with almost 50,000
local and international attendees. The traction gained by establishing
the Safe Business Events Framework in 2020 has paved the way for a
robust pipeline of world-class events.
Leading the calendar are high-profile events such as Singapore
Airshow, Singapore International Water Week and CleanEnviro Summit
Singapore, and Tax Free World Association Asia Pacific Exhibition &
Conference. The inaugural Global Health Security Conference 2022 in June
and the highly anticipated World Cities Summit in July are the other
notable events in the first half of the year.
“Beyond 2022, we have secured a very strong line-up of events that
are very well sought-after by top destinations. One of which is Rotary
International Convention 2024, which is the largest association
convention to be held, with over 25,000 international delegates
attending. Not forgetting the highly coveted 110th Lions Club
International Convention in 2028 that is expected to attract about
20,000 foreign delegates,” says Yap Chin Siang, Deputy Chief Executive,
STB.
“The Lions Club International Convention alone is expected to bring in tourism
receipts of more than $50 million. All this underpins the appeal of
Singapore as a preferred MICE destination and it's a testament to the
level of international confidence in our ability to hold world-class
events safely and securely, especially in a post-Covid environment,” he
adds.
“These events in 2022 and beyond are expected to bring in tourism receipts of more than $50 billion," shared Yap Chin Siang, Deputy Chief Executive, STB.
STB continues to adopt a flexible approach in its bid strategy to
attract events from core sectors that are important to Singapore’s
economic development as well as new ones that are highly relevant in
current times.
Yap shared that new growth drivers such as food security have taken
the limelight, and it led to the conception of Singapore International
Agri-Food Week, which was successfully held last year. Moving forward,
the inaugural Global Health Security Conference will create a
much-needed platform for leaders, researchers and academics to convene
in Singapore to discuss the management of the pandemic for a safer
future.
With safety and security being the key attributes that Singapore is
known for, it bodes well for the nation's success in continuing to
attract high-level events of calibre. "They are criteria that are
extremely critical in the considerations of many international
associations... and we will certainly continue to reinforce those
attributes," adds Yap.